Colorado Contributing to the Delinquency of a Minor is Often Related to Alcohol
This Colorado crime frequently arises when a young adult or the parent of a young adult, furnishes alcohol to teenagers. The crime is essentially complete when an adult "induces, aides or encourages" a child to violate any federal, state, municipal or county law. Since a child cannot legally possess alcohol, giving a child alcohol causes the child to violate alcohol possession laws. The same logic applies to helping a child to shoplift or sharing marijuana with them. This crime is similar to Child Abuse.
C.R.S. 18-6-701 defines "child" as anyone under the age of eighteen years. There is an affirmative defense involving the reasonable belief of the person charged, that the child was over eighteen. While this affirmative defense may or may not be available in your case, it is a powerful tool we use in discussions with government lawyers and Colorado juries.
Sentencing Options for the Colorado Court
A violation of this Colorado statute is a class four felony, which makes the defendant subject to a prison sentence from two to six years, plus parole. Most courts in Denver, Arapahoe, Douglas, Jefferson, Adams County and other Colorado counties, will seriously consider probation for a first time offense.
A probation sentence is valuable for a defendant who seeks to avoid incarceration, but the type of conviction is critical to a person's future. Permanent felony convictions will prevent security clearances and employment with national businesses. The statute defining Contributing to the Delinquency of a Minor, C.R.S. 18-6-701, even requires a court to notify the Colorado Department of Education once a person is convicted if that person is an employee of a school district. See our Sentencing Questions and Answers for more informatoin. Our exclusive criminal defense lawyers have defended hundreds of clients and protected their employability.
The Advantages of Remaining Silent
From the beginning of your case when you know the police are coming to speak with you, it is essential to your defense that you remain silent. Our full-time Criminal Defense attorneys possess many more options to get your case dismissed, or to obtain a favorable plea agreement, if you have not spoken with the police. We have knowledge of the parameters which deputy district attorneys must operate within, and will exploit that knowledge for your benefit.
So, when you learn that Colorado police want to ask you a few questions, be smart, exercise your right to remain silent, and call our aggressive lawyers twenty-four hours a day at 303-731-0719. Together, we can protect your future.
