In Colorado, the crime of criminal mischief occurs when you knowingly damage either the personal property or the land of someone else. This is also referred to as vandalism. Depending on the severity of the damage, criminal mischief may either be a felony or a misdemeanor.
It is important to note that in Colorado, you can still face charges of criminal mischief if you jointly own the property with another party. Additionally, if you own the property and someone else has a proprietary or possessory interest in it when you damage it, this can also result in a criminal mischief charge.
What are the penalties for misdemeanor criminal mischief?
According to the Colorado Criminal Code, the penalties for criminal mischief are as follows for misdemeanors.
- Class 3 misdemeanor when the damage is less than $300. This may include a fine up to $750 and/or up to six months in jail.
- Class 2 misdemeanor for damages between $300 and $749. This may include a fine of up to $1,000 and/or up to a year in jail.
- Class 1 misdemeanor for damages between $750 and $999. This may include a fine of up to $5,000 and/or up to 18 months in jail.
What are the penalties for felony criminal mischief?
Here are the penalties for some criminal mischief felonies.
- Class 6 felony for damages between $1,000 and $4,999. This may include a fine up to $100,000 and/or up to 18 months in jail.
- Class 5 felony for damages between $5,000 and $19,999. This may include a fine up to $100,000 and/or up to three years in jail.
- Class 4 felony for damages between $20,000 and $99,999. This may include a fine up to $500,000 and/or up to six years in jail.
