Many behaviors from repeated contact to obscene gestures can result in harassment charges in Denver, Thornton, and Aurora. Ranging from a petty offense to a class 1 misdemeanor, a harassment conviction can carry negative ramifications for you, your career, and your reputation. In terms of punitive measures, recent changes to Colorado laws may impact your case. It’s always best to exercise your right to remain silent when it comes to police or alleged victims contacting you or asking for statements. Contact an experienced harassment defense lawyer from Sawyer Legal Group today to discuss your case and possible defenses.
What Does Criminal Harassment Include in Colorado?
Colorado law prohibits certain behaviors meant to harass, annoy, or alarm another person. CRS 18-9-111 defines all the elements of harassment in Arapahoe, Denver, and Adams County. Police will pursue charges if they believe you did one or more of the following intending to annoy, alarm, or harass someone:
- strike, kick, shove, or physically contact,
- make an obscene, threatening, or offensive gesture or remark in public or over the internet,
- follow in a public place,
- repeatedly contact via phone or online with no legitimate purpose or at inconvenient hours,
- or continuously taunt in a manner likely to cause an unlawful response
As you can see, harassment itself is particularly wide-ranging and it doesn’t take much to catch a charge for something that may have seemed harmless in the moment. Additionally, should these behaviors occur against someone you previously dated or are currently seeing, a domestic violence enhancement can apply.
Changes to Colorado Harassment Penalties in 2022
Harassment cases that involve offensive language or obscene gestures in public are typically a petty offense throughout Denver, Commerce City, and Centennial. Defendants in these scenarios face up to 10 days in county jail and fines of up to $300. Cases involving many of the other elements of harassment are a class 2 misdemeanor. A conviction here can lead to:
- up to 4 months in county jail,
- fines of up to $750
If strike, shove, kick, or physical contact are present in a harassment case, a class 1 misdemeanor applies (as well as harassment because of race, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, sexual orientation, or a physical or mental disability). Those charged with class 1 misdemeanor harassment face consequences including up to a year in county jail and up to $1K in fines.
Denver’s Top Harassment Defense Lawyer
It isn’t uncommon to be confused or even surprised as to why exactly you’re facing a harassment charge. Perhaps you didn’t intend to annoy or alarm anyone, you didn’t touch or threaten another person, or you feel your words are protected by free speech. Nevertheless, contact our office today for a free, confidential consultation with an experienced defense lawyer. One of our strategic criminal lawyers will carefully analyze your case, answer your questions, and outline productive next steps in your defense. A call to Sawyer Legal Group can be the difference between a conviction and a dismissal or win at trial.
Don’t talk to police about harassment allegations – talk to us. 303-731-0719
Photo by Torsten Dettlaff