When Denver Police Use Confidential Informants: How the Defense Challenges Reliability
September 12, 2026
In Colorado, several types of offenses are seen as violent crimes under the law. For violent crime charges in the state, you may receive very harsh penalties that include mandatory sentencing and steep fines.
It’s important to understand what is considered a violent crime in Colorado and what types of penalties come with a guilty verdict. Here’s what you need to know.
Types of Violent Crimes in ColoradoWhat is considered violent crime in Colorado? The most common acts include:[...]
When you commit a crime in Colorado, state and federal guidelines establish a sentence for the offense. The guidelines used in sentencing specify a range of penalties that a judge can hand down to you after a conviction. For instance, a Class 2 felony conviction can result in between 8 and 24 years in prison.
However, if you are found guilty of what Colorado considers a violent crime, then you can face more serious penalties. That’s because, under Colorado law, [...]
According to news reports, 2019 was a deadly year for many in Colorado. In fact, 63 people were killed by homicide in Denver last year, the most since 2004.
As violent crimes in Denver increase, so do the penalties for committing such crimes. Here is what you need to know about crimes of violence and the mandatory minimums for such offenses in Colorado.
What are Crimes of Violence under Colorado Law?In Colorado, crimes of violence are crimes that carry [...]
Property crimes consist of a broad range of offenses that involve the theft, destruction, or damage to property. Property crimes range in severity from low-level misdemeanors to quite serious felonies that can be punishable by decades behind bars.
Crimes against property are charged based on the property damaged or stolen, and with the exception of robbery, do not typically involve a show or threat of force against someone. However, property crimes can quickly turn violent, even if the defendant’s original [...]
As one of the first states to legalize recreational marijuana, the country has been looking to Colorado to see what effect legalization would have on our crime rates, incarceration rates, and overall functioning as a state. Among the many studies and reports taken in the few short years since the legalization of marijuana, one in particular looks at the rate of violent crimes in Denver.
According to drugpolicy.org, Denver saw a 2.2% decrease in all violent crimes in the first [...]
A confidential informant almost never speaks to the judge who signs the warrant. Instead, the judge reads a detective’s sworn summary of what an unnamed person allegedly said. That gap can become one of the most important issues in a Denver drug, weapons, theft, or other criminal case.
The defense does not cross-examine the informant when the warrant is issued. At that stage, the focus is on the affidavit itself: what the informant allegedly knew, how police verified the information, [...]
Colorado fentanyl possession charges can become serious felonies at relatively low weight thresholds. The law focuses on the weight of the material, compound, mixture, or preparation containing fentanyl rather than only the amount of pure fentanyl inside it. That means a small-looking quantity of powder or counterfeit pills can result in a much more serious charge once the substance is tested and weighed.
Weight is only part of the case. What the accused person knew, whether the state can prove [...]
Colorado COCCA charges are racketeering charges used when prosecutors claim a person participated in an enterprise through a pattern of criminal activity. These cases often grow out of drug, theft, burglary, fraud, identity theft, or financial investigations that are later reframed as organized conduct.
A COCCA count is not automatic just because several people were charged together or because prosecutors believe more than one crime occurred. The state must prove specific structural elements, including an enterprise and a pattern of [...]