Have you been accused of Accessory to Crime in Greeley, Colorado? If so, you need to hire a top criminal defense attorney who will aggressively fight for you in your criminal case. If you aid a person to prevent their arrest, you can be criminally charged and face thousands of dollars of fines and years in the Weld County Jail or Colorado prison. Below, our criminal defense attorneys discuss Accessory to Crime, C.R.S. 18-8-105 – also called Accessory After the Fact – and why it is important to hire a leading criminal defense attorney for your case.
What is Accessory to Crime or Accessory After the Fact, C.R.S. 18-8-105, in Weld County?
The Weld County, Colorado, law definition of Accessory to Crime, C.R.S. 18-8-105, is:
What Does It Mean to ‘Render Assistance’ in Accessory to a Crime in Platteville and Windsor, Colorado?
The definition of ‘Rendering Assistance’ in Platteville and Windsor, Colorado, is important if you are facing an Accessory to Crime charge. The legal definition is:
(a.5) Harbor or conceal the victim or a witness to the crime; or
(b) Warn such person of impending discovery or apprehension; except that this does not apply to a warning given in an effort to bring such person into compliance with the law; or
(c) Provide such person with money, transportation, weapon, disguise, or other thing to be used in avoiding discovery or apprehension; or
(d) By force, intimidation, or deception, obstruct anyone in the performance of any act which might aid in the discovery, detection, apprehension, prosecution, conviction, or punishment of such person; or
(e) Conceal, destroy, or alter any physical or testimonial evidence that might aid in the discovery, detection, apprehension, prosecution, conviction, or punishment of such person.
Examples in Weld County of Accessory to Crime
There are specific points or elements which are necessary to be charged with Accessory to Crime. These include that a crime happened, the defendant knew a crime was committed, they helped the person who committed the crime, and the help was specifically to prevent or delay an arrest. Some examples of Accessory to Crime are:
- Assisting a person who committed a crime to change their appearance to escape arrest.
- Giving a person who committed a crime money, a ride, a plane ticket, or a car so they can run away.
- Providing wrong or false information to a law enforcement agency about where a fugitive is. It is safest to remain silent when asked about someone’s whereabouts if you don’t want to assist police.
Sentence for Accessory After the Fact / Accessory to Crime in Ault and Severance, Colorado | C.R.S. 18-8-105
In Ault, Severance, and the rest of Colorado, Accessory to Crime is charged based on the original crime that was charged for the person you helped. For example, Accessory to Crime would be a petty offense if the person you helped committed a misdemeanor. An underlying class 3 felony crime would be charged as a class 5 felony for the person charged with Accessory to Crime. While the sentence is not the exact same as the person to whom you rendered aid, it is only a few steps below theirs.
Why Hire a Top Weld County Accessory Lawyer?
The criminal defense lawyers at the O’Malley Law Office have handled many criminal and Accessory cases in Weld County and have over 30 years of experience fighting for the rights of our clients. Hiring a top lawyer who can learn the facts about your case is important. You shouldn’t leave your future up to an overworked Public Defender – they are good lawyers who only have so much time in their day.