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Colorado criminal charge

Pandering in Colorado

Current through 2026 Colorado legislative session

Pandering is a criminal offense under Colorado law, defined by C.R.S. § 18-7-203. Its classification is not fixed: Colorado assigns a different penalty class depending on the circumstances of the offense. The class that applies — and the sentencing range that follows from it — depends on which statutory variant fits the facts.

Defined by C.R.S. § 18-7-203.

What is the penalty for pandering in Colorado?

Penalties for Pandering
PenaltyRangeBasisAuthority
Jail / prison1 years to 3 years (Pandering by inducement through menacing or criminal intimidation — Applies when a person induces another by menacing or criminal intimidation to commit prostitution, as described in subsection (1)(a).)presumptiveC.R.S. § 18-1.3-401
Fine1000 usd to 100000 usd (Pandering by inducement through menacing or criminal intimidation — Applies when a person induces another by menacing or criminal intimidation to commit prostitution, as described in subsection (1)(a).)discretionaryC.R.S. § 18-1.3-401
Parole / supervision2 years to 2 years (Pandering by inducement through menacing or criminal intimidation — Applies when a person induces another by menacing or criminal intimidation to commit prostitution, as described in subsection (1)(a).; mandatory parole)mandatoryC.R.S. § 18-1.3-401
Jail / prisonup to 120 days (no statutory minimum) (Pandering by arranging a situation for prostitution — Applies when a person knowingly arranges or offers to arrange a situation in which a person may practice prostitution, as described in subsection (1)(b).)discretionaryC.R.S. § 18-1.3-501
Fineup to 750 usd (no statutory minimum) (Pandering by arranging a situation for prostitution — Applies when a person knowingly arranges or offers to arrange a situation in which a person may practice prostitution, as described in subsection (1)(b).)discretionaryC.R.S. § 18-1.3-501

Applies to offenses on/after 2018-07-01.

How is pandering classified in Colorado?

The classification depends on the circumstances:

Classification variants for Pandering
VariantClassificationWhen it appliesStatute
Pandering by inducement through menacing or criminal intimidationclass 5 felonyApplies when a person induces another by menacing or criminal intimidation to commit prostitution, as described in subsection (1)(a).18-7-203(2)(a)
Pandering by arranging a situation for prostitutionclass 2 misdemeanorApplies when a person knowingly arranges or offers to arrange a situation in which a person may practice prostitution, as described in subsection (1)(b).18-7-203(2)(b)

Common questions about pandering in Colorado

Is pandering a felony or a misdemeanor in Colorado?

It depends on the circumstances: pandering ranges from a class 2 misdemeanor to a class 5 felony in Colorado under C.R.S. § 18-7-203.

Pandering by inducement through menacing or criminal intimidation: class 5 felony (C.R.S. § 18-7-203(2)(a)) · Pandering by arranging a situation for prostitution: class 2 misdemeanor (C.R.S. § 18-7-203(2)(b))

What are the penalties for pandering in Colorado?

Penalties for pandering in Colorado depend on how it is classified — from a class 2 misdemeanor up to a class 5 felony — with the ranges set by C.R.S. § 18-1.3-401 and C.R.S. § 18-1.3-501; the full table of ranges by variant is published on this page.

Which Colorado statute covers pandering?

Pandering is governed by C.R.S. § 18-7-203 (Pandering).

Legal terms used in this law

This reference is informational and is not legal advice. Penalty ranges are the statutory classification ranges; sentencing in a specific case depends on its facts and history.