CRIMINAL IMPERSONATION IN COLORADO

Criminal Impersonation In Colorado — The Penalties Could Be Severe. You Need To Act Fast — Your FREEDOM Could Be On The Line.

Colorado Revised Statute § 18-5-113 defines criminal impersonation. It is considered a crime if a person “willingly and knowingly“: 

• “Assumes a false or fictitious identity or legal capacity,” and
• Uses this identity or capacity to carry out certain activities. These actions must harm another person or result in some type of gain for the actor.

Sometimes, these accusations are the result of a mix-up or a legal situation that was blown out of proportion. You will need a criminal defense attorney to represent you if you face this felony charge.

If you’ve been arrested or charged with criminal impersonation in Colorado, contact our office right away.

You should call an attorney as soon as you suspect an investigation is underway. The sooner that an attorney starts on your legal case, the better.

Not everyone who is charged with a crime actually did something illegal. Defenses to criminal impersonation may include:

• There was a misunderstanding and an impersonation did not occur.
• The alleged actions do not fit the legal definition of criminal impersonation.
• The person accused of criminal impersonation did not know that the impersonation occurred, or they were forced against their will to impersonate another individual.

If you are arrested, ask to speak with an attorney right away. The investigators may seem sympathetic or act like they’re on your side. They do this in an attempt to get you to talk — don’t fall for it.

EXAMPLES OF CRIMINAL IMPERSONATION

When is the line between an innocuous action and a crime crossed? The prosecution must be able to prove that fraudulent impersonation caused harm to another party, or that the actor gained something.

What does criminal impersonation look like in real life? A person may be charged with criminal impersonation in Colorado if they:

• Pretend to be a relative and use that relative’s driver’s license and social security number to obtain a loan or credit card

• Lead someone to believe that they are a police officer and threaten to arrest them

• Marry their partner while still legally married to someone else, without that partner’s knowledge and consent

• Use someone else’s identity when posting bail for a friend

• Seek revenge against someone by pretending to be that individual and do poorly on a test or examination

A criminal impersonation charge may be brought forth with other related charges.

CRIMES RELATED TO CRIMINAL IMPERSONATION IN COLORADO

Criminal impersonation charges are complex. They may occur in conjunction with other types of charges.

Residential and commercial burglary (§§ 18-4-201 — 18-4-205). An individual allegedly broke into a home or business and stole documents or items that contained personal information. That could include a laptop, cell phone, a wallet or purse, a will, vehicle registration, and bank statements.

Impersonating a police officer (18-8-112). It is a crime in Colorado to dress as a police officer or claim to be a police officer and perform an act in that capacity.

WHAT MAY NOT BE CRIMINAL IMPERSONATION?

While some acts of impersonation could be considered in poor taste or cause emotional distress, that doesn’t necessarily mean a crime was committed. Some examples of actions that may not be criminal impersonation are:

• A person pretends to be their identical twin and attends a party. This person jokes around, but does not commit any legal fraud, nor do they gain anything from their actions.

• Someone wears a police officer costume for Halloween. They pretend to “arrest” their friends and acquaintances who know that they are not a police officer in real life.

The possible penalties for criminal impersonation are nothing to brush off.

WHAT ARE THE POSSIBLE PENALTIES FOR CRIMINAL IMPERSONATION IN COLORADO?

Criminal impersonation is a class 6 felony (C.R.S. 18-1.3-401) in Colorado. A conviction could mean:

• A minimum sentence of one year in prison, with a maximum sentence of 18 months
• A mandatory one year of parole
• A fine of $1,000 up to $100,000

Criminal penalties aren’t the only consequences of a felony in Colorado. A conviction could make it difficult to find a job, obtain certain professional licenses, rent an apartment, and apply for certain loans and grants. People may also make certain assumptions about your reputation and character.

Don’t let criminal impersonation charges negatively impact your life. Contact us today to schedule a free and confidential consultation.