False Reporting in Lone Tree and Castle Rock

C.R.S. 18-8-111

There are many ways False Reporting, C.R.S. 18-8-111, charges are filed in Lone Tree and Castle Rock. Causing an emergency alarm to sound when there is no reason for it, preventing an emergency alarm from sounding, making a false report of a crime, lying to the police or giving police false identifying information, can all lead to charges of False Reporting. Our criminal defense lawyers often see this crime charged when someone is afraid of facing criminal charges, so they give false information to police, not realizing the consequences involved. False reporting can mean years in prison if convicted, so it is important not to leave your hands in the fate of an inexperienced public defender, but to instead have an experienced defense attorney to represent you in court.

False Reporting to Authorities – False Reporting of Emergency- C.R.S. 18-8-111:

(1) (a) A person commits false reporting to authorities if:

(I) He or she knowingly:

(A) Causes by any means, including but not limited to activation, a false alarm of fire or other emergency or a false emergency exit alarm to sound or to be transmitted to or within an official or volunteer fire department, ambulance service, law enforcement agency, or any other government agency which deals with emergencies involving danger to life or property; or

(B) Prevents by any means, including but not limited to deactivation, a legitimate fire alarm, emergency exit alarm, or other emergency alarm from sounding or from being transmitted to or within an official or volunteer fire department, ambulance service, law enforcement agency, or any other government agency that deals with emergencies involving danger to life or property; or

(II) He or she makes a report or knowingly causes the transmission of a report to law enforcement authorities of a crime or other incident within their official concern when he or she knows that it did not occur; or

(III) He or she makes a report or knowingly causes the transmission of a report to law enforcement authorities pretending to furnish information relating to an offense or other incident within their official concern when he or she knows that he or she has no such information or knows that the information is false; or

(IV) He or she knowingly provides false identifying information to law enforcement authorities.

(b) False reporting to authorities is a class 3 misdemeanor; except that, if it is committed in violation of subsection (1)(a)(I) of this section and committed during the commission of another criminal offense, it is a class 2 misdemeanor.

(c) For purposes of this section, “identifying information” means a person’s name, address, birth date, social security number, or driver’s license or Colorado identification number.

(2) (a) A person commits false reporting of an emergency if he or she knowingly commits an act in violation of subsection (1) of this section that includes a knowing false report of an imminent threat to the safety of a person or persons by use of a deadly weapon.

(b)

(I) Except as otherwise provided in this subsection (2)(b), false reporting of an emergency is a class 1 misdemeanor.

(II) False reporting of an emergency is a class 1 misdemeanor and is an extraordinary risk crime that is subject to the modified sentencing range specified in section 18-1.3-501 (3), if:

(A) The threat causes the occupants of a building, place of assembly, or facility of public transportation to be evacuated or otherwise displaced; or

(B) The emergency response results in bodily injury of another person.

(III) False reporting of an emergency is a class 4 felony if the emergency response results in serious bodily injury of another person.

(IV) False reporting of an emergency is a class 3 felony if the emergency response results in the death of another person.

(c) Upon a conviction pursuant to this subsection (2), in addition to any other sentence imposed or restitution ordered, the court shall sentence the defendant to pay restitution in an amount equal to the cost of any emergency response or evacuation, including but not limited to fire and police response, emergency medical service or emergency preparedness response, and transportation of any individual from the building, place of assembly, or facility of public transportation.

(d) It is not a defense to a prosecution pursuant to this subsection (2) that the defendant or another person did not have the intent or capability of committing the threatened or reported act.

(3) For purposes of subsections (1) and (2) of this section, the offense is committed and the defendant may be tried in the county where the defendant made the report, the county where the false report was communicated to law enforcement, or the county where law enforcement responded to the false report.

(4) A violation of this section does not preclude a conviction for a violation of any other criminal offense.

Penalty for False Reporting to Authorities in Douglas County

In Douglas County and throughout Colorado, False Reporting can range from a class 3 misdemeanor to a class 3 felony depending on the circumstances:

Falsely Reporting to Authorities by knowingly providing false identifying information – Class 3 Misdemeanor
Causing the activation or preventing the activation of a false fire alarm, false emergency exit alarm, during the commission of another criminal offense – Class 2 Misdemeanor
False Reporting of an emergency while committing an act such as those listed above, knowingly providing false information to law enforcement that includes a knowing false report of an imminent threat to the safety of a person or persons by use of a deadly weapon – Class 1 Misdemeanor (+ Extraordinary Risk Crime with modified sentencing if people are evacuated or otherwise displaced as a result, or if the false reporting resulted in the bodily injury of another person)
False Reporting that resulted in the serious bodily injury of another person – Class 4 Felony
False Reporting that resulted in the death of another person – Class 3 Felony

Sentences for False Reporting in Colorado

Class 3 Misdemeanor

Punishable by up to 6 months in jail and/or a fine between $50 to $750.

Class 2 Misdemeanor

Jail sentence between 3 – 12 months and fines between $250 – $1,000

Class 1 Misdemeanor

If convicted of a Class 1 Misdemeanor, the penalty will range from 6 to 18 months in jail and fines between $500 and $5,000.

Class 4 Felony

A Class 4 Felony conviction in Colorado can mean a prison sentence between 2 and 6 years, and fines between $1,000 and $100,000.

Class 3 Felony

Sentence to the Colorado Department of Corrections for anywhere between 4 to 12 years and fines between $3,000 and $750,000.

Charged with False Reporting in Douglas County?

Call us at 303-265-1950

If you are facing charges of False Reporting in Douglas County, or any other traffic offense, contact the experienced criminal defense lawyers at Sawyer Legal Group today at 303-265-1950. Together, we can protect your future.