In this modern world, people in Weld County are growing anxious over heartbreaking stories in the news of small children who are kidnapped and killed. Residents of Greeley, Milliken, and Berthoud are on high alert as they try to assess the stranger danger of their neighborhoods. Because of this societal mindset, everyone should be careful that their “harmless” actions are not misread as Harassment (CRS 18-9-111), Kidnapping (CRS 18-3-301), or Robbery (CRS 18-4-301) attempts.
Recently, a Colorado man turned himself into city police after they released a picture of the car he was driving in association with a kidnapping attempt. The man admitted later that he had shown poor judgment, but he was not trying to kidnap anyone. From his car, the man was trying to convince a neighborhood boy to ring the doorbell of his ex’s house so he could speak with her. The boy refused and tried to walk away. The man then attempted to get out of the car so he could convince him to help him out.
The boy’s mother was watching nearby to make sure her son was safe and took a picture of the car the man was driving. She sent it to police who later released it with a warning of an abduction attempt. To avoid facing serious charges of attempted kidnapping, the man turned himself in to police and told the whole story.
Actions that would have been normal or mainstream thirty years ago are now criminalized. It is sad that innocent people have to deal with the ramifications of an overly sensitized society. It is best to always be aware that you could be watched (as when the mother photographed the would-be kidnapper) and that your actions could be interpreted as criminal regardless of your true intent in Hudson, Platteville, or Erie.
If police contact you with charges of Kidnapping or another crime in Greeley or Weld County, be smart, exercise your right to remain silent, and contact the experienced criminal defense attorneys at the O’Malley Law Office at 970-616-6009. Together, we can protect your future.