You will need a Greeley Third Degree Criminal Trespass Lawyer this week if you attempted to rescue or locate aliens at Area 51 recently. Over the past week, the widely spread Facebook event “Storm Area 51, They Can’t Stop All of Us” was supposed to occur. Just before the event, two Dutch tourists were arrested for trespassing on the Nevada National Security Site the week prior. Since this land is owned by the U.S. Government, it is likely that these two men were charged federally. If this occurred in Colorado, and it wasn’t a Government owned facility or property, it likely would have been charged as Third Degree Criminal Trespassing. Third Degree Trespassing is when someone unlawfully enters and stays in or on the land or property of another. It is the least harsh Trespassing charge in Colorado. But despite their more serious charge, the two men were quickly released after a few days into the year-long sentence. They made a plea to basically stay away from the facility and agreed to pay a $2,000 fine each.
What is Third Degree Criminal Trespassing, C.R.S. 18-4-504, in Weld County?
In Weld County, Third Degree Trespassing, C.R.S. 18-4-504, is charged when:
Trespassing in the Third Degree is not harshly sentenced due to its non-threatening nature. When people trespass and intend to commit another crime like Theft, or Menacing, is when the sentence increases. Since the two tourists were young men who did not intend or do anything malicious, but instead were participating in an internet meme joke, they received a light sentence.
What is the Sentence for Third Degree Trespassing in Erie and Longmont?
In Erie and Longmont, if you’re arrested for Third Degree Trespassing, you could face a petty offense, a misdemeanor, or a felony conviction. All of these convictions will appear on a Colorado criminal record.
Typically, a Third Degree Trespassing conviction is a class 1 petty offense. But, if the land being trespassed on is agricultural, it becomes a class 3 misdemeanor. Or, if someone is accused of trespassing on agricultural land with the intent to commit a felony, then they could be convicted of a class 5 felony.
A class 1 petty offense is inclusive of:
- A fine up to $500
- Weld County Jail time for up to 6 months
A class 3 misdemeanor is inclusive of:
- A fine up to $750
- Up to 6 months in Weld County Jail
A class 5 felony is inclusive of:
- A fine between $1,000 – $100,000
- 1 year to 3 years in the Colorado Department of Corrections
- 2 years of Mandatory Parole
ARE YOU ACCUSED OF TRESPASSING IN GREELEY AND WELD COUNTY?
Be smart and exercise your right to remain silent. Contact the best Trespass defense attorneys in Northern Colorado.
Call 970-616-6009 or fill out the Get Help Now form to meet with an experienced criminal defense lawyer in Weld County and the Greeley area for a free consultation.
Together, we can protect your future.
Photo by Donald Giannatti on Unsplash