If you have been falsely accused of Unlawful Sexual Contact, you need to contact a top Fort Collins criminal defense lawyer to represent you at the Larimer County Courts. Unfortunately, false allegations are not unheard of in Larimer County – especially when alcohol is involved. On the contrary, they happen often, and they threaten innocent people’s lives all the time. This is especially the case with an accusation of felony Unlawful Sexual Contact, which could result in you spending the rest of your life in a Colorado prison. In this blog post, our experienced criminal defense lawyers discuss Unlawful Sexual Contact charges and false accusations:
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Navigate this blog: 1. Colorado’s Law on Unlawful Sexual Contact, C.R.S. 18-3-404 2. Penalties for Unlawful Sexual Contact at the Larimer County Courts |
1. Colorado’s Law on Unlawful Sexual Contact, C.R.S. 18-3-404
Colorado’s law on Unlawful Sexual Contact, C.R.S. 18-3-404, is as follows:
(a) The actor knows that the victim does not consent; or
(b) The actor knows that the victim is incapable of appraising the nature of the victim’s conduct; or
(c) The victim is physically helpless and the actor knows that the victim is physically helpless and the victim has not consented; or
(d) The actor has substantially impaired the victim’s power to appraise or control the victim’s conduct by employing, without the victim’s consent, any drug, intoxicant, or other means for the purpose of causing submission; or
(f) The victim is in custody of law or detained in a hospital or other institution and the actor has supervisory or disciplinary authority over the victim and uses this position of authority, unless incident to a lawful search, to coerce the victim to submit; or
(g) The actor engages in treatment or examination of a victim for other than bona fide medical purposes or in a manner substantially inconsistent with reasonable medical practices.
In other words, it is a criminal offense to touch another person’s intimate parts without his or her consent. Unlawful Sexual Contact can also be charged for another act of sexual contact that does not involve directly touching the other person.
2. Penalties for Unlawful Sexual Contact at the Larimer County Courts
Penalties for a conviction of Unlawful Sexual Contact at the Larimer County Courts depend on whether it was charged as a misdemeanor or felony offense. Most of the time, Unlawful Sexual Contact is a class 1 misdemeanor. However, it can also be a class 4 felony if the defendant used force, intimidation, or threats. Alternatively, this offense can be a class 4 felony if the defendant pretended to provide medical treatment for the purpose of engaging in nonconsensual sexual contact. See the table for a comparison of penalties for misdemeanor vs. felony Unlawful Sexual Contact:
Misdemeanor |
Felony |
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Note that felony Unlawful Sexual Contact is punishable by an indeterminate sentence at the Colorado DOC. Under C.R.S. 18-1.3-1003 through 18-1.3-1004, several different sex crimes – including felony Unlawful Sexual Contact – are punishable by indeterminate sentences. This means that a defendant convicted of one of these crimes is not given a maximum sentence when he is sentenced to prison. He could spend the rest of his life in a prison cell, never knowing whether he will ever be released. For that reason, it is imperative that you hire a top criminal defense lawyer to protect you from Unlawful Sexual Contact charges – especially if you were falsely accused.
3. Falsely Accused of Unlawful Sexual Contact in Fort Collins or Loveland?
If you have been falsely accused of Unlawful Sexual Contact in Fort Collins or Loveland, know that you’re not alone. Sadly, false allegations happen frequently in Larimer County. We often see people falsely accused of sex crimes after they engage in consensual sexual contact with another person. One person regrets the encounter, so she accuses the other person of touching her without her consent.
Alcohol also tends to give rise to false allegations of nonconsensual sexual contact. After a few drinks at a bar in downtown Fort Collins, it can be hard to remember exactly what happened. One person might remember that a woman got “handsy” with him, but he can’t remember if he was okay with it. He may then call the Fort Collins Police the next day and accuse her of Unlawful Sexual Contact.
Whatever the case, if you have been falsely accused of Unlawful Sexual Contact, you need to contact a top criminal defense lawyer – fast. If you are convicted at the Larimer County Courts, you will unjustly face severe penalties for a crime you never committed. Imagine registering as a sex offender and being incarcerated at the Larimer County Jail for a crime you never committed. Don’t wait to contact an experienced criminal defense lawyer who will fight tooth and nail to protect your future at the Larimer County Courts, and call us today.
Have you been falsely accused of Unlawful Sexual Contact? First, exercise your right to remain silent, and do not talk to the Fort Collins Police or Larimer County Sheriff. Then contact the best criminal defense lawyers with more than 30 years of experience at 970-658-0007 to discuss your charges. Together, we can protect your future.
The location for the Larimer County Courthouse is 201 Laporte Avenue, Fort Collins, Colorado. We’ll see you there!
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