Facing a criminal conviction can be a terrifying situation. Aggravated robbery is a felony, which means a conviction can lead to more than a decade in prison. That can change your life in negative ways.
While facing aggravated robbery in Colorado – § 18-4-302 CRS charges are frightening, you do not have to face this alone. You may have grounds for a strong defense, so know what to expect before your court date.
First, you need to understand the charges you are facing under Colorado’s revised statutes under §18-4-302 CRS. First, robbery is defined as taking something of value from a person by the use of force, threats, or intimidation.
When aggravating factors are present, those robbery charges become aggravated robbery. These factors include being armed with a deadly weapon, with the intent to harm the victim if they resist robbery.
So what counts as a deadly weapon? Any firearm, even if it is unloaded, can be considered a deadly weapon. It may also include any object capable of causing serious bodily injury or death. Knives, bludgeons, or other weapons can fall under this category.
Aggravated robbery is a Class 3 felony. Felony charges come with much harsher penalties and generally have a prison sentence rather than a sentence in the county jail. You may be sentenced to 4 to 16 years in prison for aggravated robbery. That comes with five years of mandatory parole, and your sentence may be increased to 32 years under certain conditions.
Beyond a prison sentence that keeps you away from your family for years, you may be hit with a fine of up to $750,000. When you cannot work for years due to imprisonment, a fine like this can feel impossible to escape.
When building your defense, the first step is determining your best path forward. This depends on the evidence being brought against you and whether your best opportunity is to seek a reduction in the severity of your charges or to get the charges dropped entirely.
One of the common defenses for aggravated robbery is that you never committed the robbery in the first place. You may cite a lack of evidence that anything was taken or anyone was harmed during the alleged robbery.
In other cases, you may try to reduce the aggravating factors by arguing that a deadly weapon was not used in the robbery or that you never claimed to have a deadly weapon during the robbery in the first place.
Getting the right defense team on your side is also vital to your strategy. Our team comprises attorneys with decades of experience and a track record of success that can help you potentially avoid a conviction. We offer guidance through your defense strategy and can represent you in the courtroom.
Accusations of aggravated robbery can have a devastating impact on your life. You may find yourself facing a loss of freedom, crushing debts, and a criminal record that makes it almost impossible to escape from the charges you are facing. Fortunately, you do not have to face your case alone.
At Flesch & Beck Law, we offer the tools you need for a full-fledged defense of your case, which can help you avoid harsh penalties. In some cases, your charges may possibly be dropped entirely. To learn more about your options from a defense attorney, contact our team for a consultation by calling or filling out the online contact form.