If you have been accused of theft in Colorado, you need an experienced Denver criminal defense attorney immediately. The Colorado crimes of theft are outlined under section 18-4-401 in Colorado Law. Any claim of theft, whether at the misdemeanor or the felony level, is serious enough to warrant a comprehensive criminal defense immediately. If you’re not sure of where you stand and don’t know how to proceed, hiring a talented lawyer is your next step.
A lawyer is the only one who can protect you and make sure you know what to expect in the legal process of fighting back against charges.
You must begin by considering the different types of crimes that can be assessed against someone who allegedly stole something else. Theft charges can range from petty offenses all the way up to felonies, a class one petty offense theft charge involves taking an item valued at less than $50, whereas a class two felony could be assessed if item in question is $1 million or more.
The penalties associated with these crimes are in accordance with the alleged severity. To determine whether or not the state of Colorado will be able to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that you were guilty of this section of the crime of theft of which you were charged, you must look at the critical elements of the crime you were accused of committing. The elements of the crime of theft are that the defendant knowingly exercised control, retained or obtained anything of value of someone else without authorization or through deception or theft and that they knew that it was stolen and intended to permanently deprive the other individual of theft.
If you are accused of theft, the consequences can be serious. You need to hire an experienced Denver criminal defense attorney immediately to develop a compelling defense for your case. You cannot afford to wait as there is too much on the line for your future.