Teenagers love to play pranks in Greeley, Weld County and across Colorado. Sometimes the pranks are successful and funny and sometimes they land those teens in trouble. Rarely, but it does occasionally happen, does the prank end with arrests. For two Colorado Springs teens, though, their prank landed them in handcuffs. According to the news report, the boys had discharged large fire extinguishers into several different businesses including at two employees working a drive thru window. Police were able to identify and arrest the two teens, one 17 and one 19 and charge them with numerous counts of Harassment and possibly Criminal Mischief.
Weld County Harassment Attorney: What is the Definition of Harassment?
In Weld, Morgan, and Logan County, the definition of Harassment – C.R.S. 18-9-111 – is:
(a) Strikes, shoves, kicks, or otherwise touches a person or subjects him to physical contact; or
(b) In a public place directs obscene language or makes an obscene gesture to or at another person; or
(c) Follows a person in or about a public place; or
(d) Repealed.
(e) Directly or indirectly initiates communication with a person or directs language toward another person, anonymously or otherwise, by telephone, telephone network, data network, text message, instant message, computer, computer network, computer system, or other interactive electronic medium in a manner intended to harass or threaten bodily injury or property damage, or makes any comment, request, suggestion, or proposal by telephone, computer, computer network, computer system, or other interactive electronic medium that is obscene; or
(f) Makes a telephone call or causes a telephone to ring repeatedly, whether or not a conversation ensues, with no purpose of legitimate conversation; or
(g) Makes repeated communications at inconvenient hours that invade the privacy of another and interfere in the use and enjoyment of another’s home or private residence or other private property; or
(h) Repeatedly insults, taunts, challenges, or makes communications in offensively coarse language to, another in a manner likely to provoke a violent or disorderly response.
Based on the information provided in the article, the boys were probably charged with Harassment for ‘otherwise touching’ another person with the intent to harass, alarm, or annoy.
Greeley Harassment Lawyer: What is the Sentence / Punishment for Harassment?
In Greeley, Erie, and Evans, Harassment is a class 3 misdemeanor, which is punishable by up to 6 months in the Weld County Jail. Often, deferred judgments and a probation sentence are possibilities for this criminal charge when juveniles perform the pranks I described above. At some point though, prosecutors will say that a stronger message needs to be sent to the juveniles because of the number of people harassed and the property damage involved.
Greeley Criminal Mischief Attorney: Property Damage and Fire Extinguishers
Colorado’s definition of Criminal Mischief, located at C.R.S. 18-4-501, is:
Fire extinguishers spray can cause extensive damage to restaurants and businesses. When these teenagers sprayed the extinguishers at the restaurant employees, all of the food in the restaurant was contaminated. The equipment was made unsanitary. The businesses had items for sale which were covered in a white powder. Clothing for sale was likely made unsellable. Likely, thousands of dollars of losses were incurred by these businesses, making the boys’ actions a felony Criminal Mischief.
If you or someone you love has been charged with Harassment or Criminal Mischief, be smart, exercise your right to remain silent, and contact the best Greeley Harassment criminal defense attorneys from the O’Malley Law Office at 970-616-6009 today. Together, we can protect your future.
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