Forgery charges in Denver, Arapahoe, and Douglas County encompass a wide range of circumstances which can result in severe consequences for your life. Thankfully, our attorneys have been there hundreds of times before and are ready to help defend you or your loved one when you need us.
Document Altering = Felony Forgery
The altering of any documents (including checks, a will, contract, promissory note or deed) amounts to Forgery and can result in a prison sentence and hefty fines. Forgery associated with document altering is usually charged as a class 5 felony. A class 5 felony carries a maximum punishment of up to 3 years in prison and up to a $100,000.00 fine. Most of the time, the district attorney’s office in Jefferson, Adams, and Broomfield County will consider probation on a first offense, but there are no guarantees. In order to better your chances of probation and to avoid a harsh punishment, a criminal defense lawyer will intervene in your case and prepare your defense.
Forgery and the Statute of Limitations
Most people are unfamiliar with the crime of Forgery and the implications it can have. For instance, Forgery is one of the few crimes which has an unlimited Statute of Limitations. Crimes like Third (3rd) Degree Assault (C.R.S. 18-3-204), Theft (C.R.S. 18-4-401), and Criminal Mischief (C.R.S. 18-4-501) have a specific amount of time (varying from 18 months to 5 years) in which the government can charge you for the completion of a crime. However, Forgery and Second Degree Forgery (C.R.S. 18-5-104) have no Statute of Limitations requirement. In other words, the police in Aurora, Highlands Ranch, and Lakewood can charge you for a crime that was completed 5, 10, even 50 years ago. This rule exists because of the difficulty in discovering forgeries. Sometimes it is many years later before the crime is discovered.
Defrauding by Changing Important Documents
Another aspect of the crime people usually do not understand is what the elements of Forgery are. In most cases, the crime of falsifying a document is completed when an actor knowingly defrauds another person by means of completing, altering, or uttering a written instrument which is calculated to become money, a check, a public record, a deed, or essentially any other written instrument that might have some effect on another person. You need to realize that the Forgery law is written so vaguely that it encompasses almost all written instruments and, thus, the police will try to turn everything into a violation of the law.
So, if you or a loved one has been charged with Forgery, or any other crime in Douglas County or across Colorado, be smart, exercise your right to remain silent, and give an attorney a call right now at 303-731-0719. Together, we can protect your future.
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