In July, I wrote a blog about a nationwide news story where a woman was arrested for a number of violent and horrible crimes against her ex-boyfriend’s pregnant wife. Well, if I learned anything from that story, it’s that you can’t always believe what you read. Turns out the ex-girlfriend was actually being framed…by the new wife. The wife had filed numerous police reports claiming she was being harassed, impersonated online to facilitate rapes against her, menaced, and stalked by the ex-girlfriend. She provided evidence and signed under penalty of perjury that she had been threatened by the ex. The ex-girlfriend was arrested and faced a possible life sentenced for the crimes she was accused of committing. Thankfully, the investigation continued and come to find out, the wife was the mastermind behind the whole thing. Yes, she even set up the ads requesting ‘rape fantasy’ interactions and then falsely reported being attacked by one of the ad’s responders. Now, the wife (who wasn’t even really pregnant) is in custody for numerous charges including Kidnapping, False Imprisonment, Forgery, and over 20 counts of False Reporting. This should be a wake-up call for Weld County DAs – the ‘victim’ isn’t always telling the truth.
Weld County False Reporting Lawyer: What is the Definition of False Reporting?
If someone falsely accuses you of a crime and their statements are proven to be false, they could be charged with False Reporting. The Colorado law definition of False Reporting – C.R.S. 18-8-111 – is:
- He or she knowingly:
- Causes by any means, including but not limited to activation, a false alarm of fire or other emergency or a false emergency exit alarm to sound or to be transmitted to or within an official or volunteer fire department, ambulance service, law enforcement agency, or any other government agency which deals with emergencies involving danger to life or property; or
- Prevents by any means, including but not limited to deactivation, a legitimate fire alarm, emergency exit alarm, or other emergency alarm from sounding or from being transmitted to or within an official or volunteer fire department, ambulance service, law enforcement agency, or any other government agency that deals with emergencies involving danger to life or property; or
- He makes a report or knowingly causes the transmission of a report to law enforcement authorities of a crime or other incident within their official concern when he knows that it did not occur; or
- He or she makes a report or knowingly causes the transmission of a report to law enforcement authorities pretending to furnish information relating to an offense or other incident within their official concern when he or she knows that he or she has no such information or knows the information is false; or
- He or she knowingly provides false identifying information to law enforcement authorities.
Based on the information provided in the news article, the wife would be facing the 21 counts of this crime for part (b), reporting a crime that she knew did not occur. As a class 3 misdemeanor in Weld, Morgan, and Logan County, False Reporting is punishable by up to 6 months in the Weld County Jail and $750 in fines. Now, if the judge decided to run her the sentence on each charge concurrently, then she would face a maximum sentence of 10 years and 6 months in the Weld County Jail in Greeley.
Greeley False Reporting Lawyer: Common Cases?
Our Greeley criminal defense attorneys have seen so many clients falsely accused of extremely serious crimes with extremely serious potential sentences. Rarely when those clients’ cases are dismissed or they are found not guilty, does the reporting party get charged with False Reporting. While it’s not impossible, it is pretty rare for False Reporting charges to stem from these types of situations. We mostly see these cases related to providing false information or reporting that a much less serious crime has occurred.
If you or someone you love has been falsely accused of a crime or charged with False Reporting, be smart, exercise your right to remain silent, and contact the best Weld County criminal defense attorneys from the O’Malley Law Office at 970-616-6009 today. Together, we can protect your future.
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