Westminster Municipal Ordinance Violations Can Turn Into a Jefferson County, Colorado Felony
Contributing to the Delinquency of a Minor, C.R.S. 18-6-701, can be charged against an adult if he or she encourages a minor to violate a Westminster City Code Ordinance. This may come as a shock to an adult who encourages a 17 year old to light fireworks, which is a violation of Westminster City Ordinance 6-8-2. But the simple act of encouraging a minor to violate any law can result in a conviction of a very serious class 4 felony in Jefferson or Adams County.
Encouraging an Aurora Minor to Fight Someone is a Felony in Arapahoe County | Definition of Contributing to the Delinquency of a Minor
Colorado’s Contributing to the Delinquency of a Minor law is defined as:
Any person who induces, aids, or encourages a child to violate any federal or state law, municipal or county ordinance, or court order commits Contributing to the Delinquency of a Minor.
A “child” is any person under the age of 18.
Just think of it, if an Aurora Municipal law says don’t fight in public (this is Assault and Battery in Aurora), and you encourage or help a child break that law, you are committing the class 4 felony of Contributing to the Delinquency of a Minor in Arapahoe County! The severe consequences attached to this law were most likely created by Colorado State Legislators looking to get reelected by appearing tough on crimes against kids.
Contributing to the Delinquency of a Minor Attorney: “Penalties Don’t Fit the Crime in Douglas County
I think the class 4 felony associated with Contributing to the Delinquency of a Minor is out of proportion to the offense. Why should an adult be charged with a serious felony, with a possible prison sentence, just because they exercised bad judgment and encouraged a child to go fight the school bully? This should not even be a felony. How about something more reasonable, where it is a felony if you encourage or aid a child to commit a felony? If you encouraged the child to commit a misdemeanor, then it is a misdemeanor. The public should be outraged. Generally though, the public does not consider inequities in the law unless they are personally impacted. I talk with hundreds of clients every year and one of the most common phrases I hear is, “I never knew how serious this is”. So if you know a child who is going to court in Lone Tree for a curfew violation and she said you encouraged her, you may want to call Denver area’s best Criminal Defense Attorneys for a free consultation.
Charged with Contributing to the Delinquency of a Minor in Denver? Remain Silent
It is easy to say the wrong thing while under pressure. When confronted by a Denver police officer the natural tendency is to try and talk your way out of the situation, but words get twisted and people say things they don’t really mean to say. Also, we often see Denver Police lying about what someone said to them in order to make their case stronger. Talking to a person who is looking for a reason to arrest you is never a good idea. Remain calm, do what the police tell you to do, then call us. We often read in police reports things our client say they never said, but remaining silent leaves no room for misunderstandings.
The lawyers at O’Malley Law Office, P.C. have great success in fighting charges of Contributing to the Delinquency of a Minor. So if you have been accused of this crime, we are ready to fight for you. Be smart, exercise your right to remain silent, and call us at 303-731-0719. Together we can protect your future.
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