Felony Theft Lawyer in Greeley, Colorado

When is Theft Charged as a Felony at the Weld County Court?

Whether Theft is charged as a petty offense, misdemeanor crime or felony charge in Greeley, Colorado court depends on the aggregate or total value of the item(s) stolen.  If the value of the money or stolen goods totals $2,000 or more, Theft is charged as a felony.  If you have been charged with felony Theft, it is essential that you contact the top Weld County criminal defense lawyers as soon as possible.  Any Theft charge will jeopardize your future, but felony Theft has an even greater potential to wreck your future and finances.

What is Colorado Law on Theft in Greeley?

Colorado’s law on Theft, C.R.S. 18-4-401, is defined as follows in Greeley:

(1) A person commits theft when he or she knowingly obtains, retains, or exercises control over anything of value of another without authorization or by threat or deception; receives, loans money by pawn or pledge on, or disposes of anything of value or belonging to another that he or she knows or believes to have been stolen, and:

(a) Intends to deprive the other person permanently of the use or benefit of the thing of value;

(b) Knowingly uses, conceals, or abandons the thing of value in such manner as to deprive the other person permanently of its use or benefit;

(c) Uses, conceals, or abandons the thing of value intending that such use, concealment, or abandonment will deprive the other person permanently of its use or benefit;

(d) Demands any consideration to which he or she is not legally entitled as a condition of restoring the thing of value to the other person;

(e) Knowingly retains the thing of value more than seventy-two hours after the agreed-upon time of return in any lease or hire agreement; or

(f) Intentionally misrepresents or withholds a material fact for determining eligibility for a public benefit and does so for the purpose of obtaining or retaining public benefits for which the person is not eligible.

Essentially, Theft can be charged if a person:

  • Takes an item of value with the intent of never returning it,
  • Treats the item such that it will deprive another person or entity of their ability to use the item, or
  • Uses misrepresentation to deprive a person or entity of money or an item of value.

Examples of Felony Theft in Weld County – When the Value is Two Thousand Dollars or More

Some examples of Theft that could be charged as a felony in Weld County include:

  • Embezzling funds from your workplace.
  • Providing false information so you can apply for food stamps or another public benefit.
  • Taking or keeping a computer that a friend entrusted you to repair.
  • Stealing pieces of valuable jewelry while housesitting for your cousin.

Whether Theft is charged as a misdemeanor or felony does not depend on how the item was stolen, but on the total value of the items or money taken.  If the person who committed Theft in one of the above scenarios took items valued at $2,000 or more, the person will be charged with felony Theft.

How Long Can I go to Prison for Felony Theft?
Greeley Sentences in Colorado Department of Corrections, Community Corrections or Weld County Jail

Conviction for a felony Theft charge may involve several penalties in Greeley and Weld County, including time in the Colorado Department of Corrections, the Weld County Jail or Community Corrections.  How long possible sentences may last are listed in the table below:

Value of Item(s) Stolen

Classification

Penalties

$2,000 – $4,999

Class 6 felony / F6
  • 1 year – 18 months in the Colorado Department of Corrections / DOC
  • $1,000 – $100,000 in fines
  • 1 year of mandatory parole after incarceration

$5,000 – $19,999

Class 5 felony / F5
  • 1 – 3 years in the Colorado DOC
  • $1,000 – $100,000 in fines
  • 2 years of mandatory parole

$20,000 – $99,999

Class 4 felony / F4
  • 2 – 6 years in the Colorado DOC
  • $2,000 – $500,000 in fines
  • 3 years of mandatory parole

$100,000 – $999,999

Class 3 felony / F3
  • 4 – 12 years in the Colorado DOC
  • $3,000 – $750,000 in fines
  • 3 years of mandatory parole

$1,000,000 or more

Class 2 felony / F2
  • 8 – 24 years in the Colorado DOC
  • $5,000 – $1,000,000 in fines
  • 3 years of mandatory parole

In addition to the penalties listed above, the defendant may be sentenced to the Weld County Jail for 90 days straight time or up to 2 years of Work Release.  You will also be required to pay restitution to cover all monetary loss incurred by the victim of the Theft.

Contact a Top Weld County Felony Theft Lawyer Today

If you have been charged with felony Theft, it is important that you contact a top Weld County criminal defense lawyer today.  Even after you have served time in the Colorado Department of Corrections, your criminal record will make it difficult to find another job or buy a house.  Don’t wait around to contact an attorney with over 30 years of experience successfully representing clients at the Weld County Courts.  Call us today to secure the representation you need to protect your future.

CHARGED WITH FELONY THEFT IN GREELEY OR WELD COUNTY?

Be smart, and exercise your right to stay silent.  Then call 970-616-6009 to discuss your case with a top criminal defense lawyer from the O’Malley Law Office today.  

Together, we can protect your future.

The location for the Weld County Courthouse is 901 9th Avenue, Greeley, Colorado. We’ll see you there!

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