Trespass is charged in Greeley and Weld County when a person is accused of entering or remaining somewhere unlawfully. A mother was recently charged with this crime after her child’s prom photos caused a ruckus. According to the report, the mother snuck her child and prom date into a closed zoo. The zoo was fenced off and there were many no trespassing signs posted. The intention of the trespassing was to find a cool place to take photos. As the photos were posted on social media, law enforcement was somehow notified and reached out to the mother. She admitted to everything, took responsibility and was charged with Trespassing.
Second Degree Trespass Attorney in Weld County: Definition of 2nd Degree Trespassing in Colorado
The Weld County, Colorado law definition of Second Degree Criminal Trespass – C.R.S. 18-4-503 – is:
(a) Unlawfully enters or remains in or upon the premises of another which are enclosed in a manner designed to exclude intruders or are fenced; or
(b) Knowingly and unlawfully enters or remains in or upon the common areas of a hotel, motel, condominium, or apartment building; or
(c) Knowingly and unlawfully enters or remains in a motor vehicle of another.
Based on the information provided in the article, the zoo was fenced, which means it was enclosed to keep people out of that area.
Penalty for Second Degree Trespassing in Milliken and Johnstown
In Milliken, Johnstown, and across Colorado, Second Degree Trespassing under subsection (a) or (b) is a petty offense. However, if the premises is considered agricultural land, then it is a class 5 felony. For a charged under subsection (c), it is a class 2 misdemeanor. A petty offense is punishable by up to 10 days in Weld County Jail. For the class 5 felony, the penalty would be 1 to 3 years in the Colorado Department of Corrections. The class 2 misdemeanor trespassing charge would be punishable by up 120 days in the Weld County Jail.