Colorado Law on Criminal Impersonation | Greeley Fraud and Forgery Attorney
You will need a Greeley Fraud and Forgery attorney when someone accuses you of Criminal Impersonation in Colorado. An accusation that you have assumed a false identity for some kind of personal gain or to defraud someone can lead to serious, felony consequences. This crime is closely linked with Impersonating a Peace Officer, Forgery, and Identity Theft.
Weld County Law on Criminal Impersonation, C.R.S. 18-5-113
In Weld County, Criminal Impersonation, C.R.S. 18-5-113, is defined as:
(a) Assumes a false or fictitious identity or legal capacity, and in such identity or capacity he or she:
(I) Marries, or pretends to marry, or to sustain the marriage relation toward another without the connivance of the latter;
(II) Becomes bail or surety for a party in an action or proceeding, civil or criminal, before a court or officer authorized to take the bail or surety; or
(III) Confesses a judgment, or subscribes, verifies, publishes, acknowledges, or proves a written instrument which by law may be recorded, with the intent that the same may be delivered as true; or
(b) Assumes a false or fictitious identity or capacity, legal or other, and in such identity or capacity he or she:
(I) Performs an act that, if done by the person falsely impersonated, might subject such person to an action or special proceeding, civil or criminal, or to liability, charge, forfeiture, or penalty; or
(II) Performs any other act with intent to unlawfully gain a benefit for himself, herself, or another or to injure or defraud another.
This statute is full of difficult to understand, legal jargon. To put it more simply, if you lie about who you are in order to gain some sort of benefit or to do wrong against the person that is being impersonated, police can charge you with Criminal Impersonation
Examples of Criminal Impersonation Cases in Greeley, Dacono, and Johnstown
In Greeley, Dacono, and Johnstown, there are various example cases of Criminal Impersonation. Below are some examples to help clarify what constitutes as a violation of Colorado’s Criminal Impersonation law.
- You and your girlfriend intend to get married. However, unknown to you, your girlfriend is already legally married to someone else. She lies about getting the marriage certificate, but carries out the ceremony. She could be charged with Criminal Impersonation if found out. This violates section (a)(I).
- Your friend has been arrested and you want to post their bail to get them out. But you don’t have any money, so you use your brother’s ID, and credit card to post your friend’s bail. This violates section (a)(II).
- A friend calls you to tell you about the new TV they just bought. Knowing this friend doesn’t have a lot of spare money, you’re curious as to how they could afford it. He tells you how he got into a big fight with his brother, and how his brother owes him now. Your friend ended up taking his brother’s ID, opening a credit card in his name, and purchasing the TV. This violates section (b)(II).
- A Greeley cop has pulled you over for a traffic violation. You don’t want to provide your real name to the police, as your driver’s license is suspended. Instead, you give the officer the name of your friend, whose record is clean. The officer accepts that you were driving without a license, and they give you a ticket with your friend’s name on it. Your friend fails to pay the fine and come to court, as do you, since your friend is unaware of this. This is a violation of section (b)(I).
Sentence for Criminal Impersonation in Windsor and Longmont and Weld County
When you’re convicted of Criminal Impersonation in Windsor, Longmont and Weld County, you’ll be sentenced to a class 6 felony. Despite that this is the lowest felony that someone can be punished for, it still drastically affects your day to day life. The possible penalties for a class 6 felony conviction are: probation, having to serve between 1 year and 18 months in the Colorado Department of Corrections (prison), and / or having to pay a fine between $1,000 and $100,00. Regardless of how long you are sentenced to prison, there is a mandatory 1 year parole period for those who have been convicted of Criminal Impersonation.
In addition to carrying out your sentence, you will now have a felony on your criminal record. Having a felony means that you will have more difficulty passing background checks, finding employment, finding housing, or receiving loans. People generally will make snap assumptions about you because of your criminal record. They will think you’re a troublemaker, unworthy of trust or responsibilities, or even a person they should not get involved with. Being a convicted felon comes with many hardships, and our defense lawyers don’t want to see this happen to you.
Difference Between Criminal Impersonation, Impersonating a Peace Officer, Forgery, and Identity Theft in Weld County, Morgan County, and Logan County
In Weld County, Morgan County, and Logan County, there are subtle but clear differences between Criminal Impersonation, Impersonating a Peace Officer, Forgery, and Identity Theft. You can check out our pages for each of these offenses for more in depth information about each one, but here is a brief summary of each of these crimes.
Criminal Impersonation, C.R.S.18-5-113: When a person uses a false or fictitious identity in order to gain something, or to defraud the person they are pretending to be.
Impersonating a Peace Officer, C.R.S. 18-8-112: When someone pretends to be a peace officer (police officer, firefighter, etc), and attempts to carry out the duties of such person. For example, trying to ticket someone when you are not a cop.
Forgery, C.R.S 18-5-102: With the intention to defraud, someone makes / completes / alters money, legal documents, stocks, bonds, public records, certificates, false identification documents, etc.
Identity Theft, C.R.S. 18-5-902: Knowingly uses personal identifying information and / or financial identifying information of another to receive money, credit, property, etc, without the permission.