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Colorado criminal charge

Riots in detention facilities in Colorado

Current through 2026 Colorado legislative session

Riots in detention facilities is a criminal offense under Colorado law, defined by C.R.S. § 18-8-211. 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. § 18-8-211.

What is the penalty for riots in detention facilities in Colorado?

Penalties for Riots in detention facilities
PenaltyRangeBasisAuthority
Jail / prison4 years to 12 years (Active participation in riot — armed with deadly weapon/device — Applies when the participant employs a deadly weapon, destructive device, or an article fashioned to appear as a deadly weapon, or represents themselves as armed with a deadly weapon during the riot participation.)presumptiveC.R.S. § 18-1.3-401
Fine3000 usd to 750000 usd (Active participation in riot — armed with deadly weapon/device — Applies when the participant employs a deadly weapon, destructive device, or an article fashioned to appear as a deadly weapon, or represents themselves as armed with a deadly weapon during the riot participation.)discretionaryC.R.S. § 18-1.3-401
Parole / supervision3 years to 3 years (Active participation in riot — armed with deadly weapon/device — Applies when the participant employs a deadly weapon, destructive device, or an article fashioned to appear as a deadly weapon, or represents themselves as armed with a deadly weapon during the riot participation.; mandatory parole)mandatoryC.R.S. § 18-1.3-401
Jail / prison2 years to 6 years (Active participation in riot — unarmed — Applies when the participant does not employ any deadly weapon or destructive device during the riot participation.)presumptiveC.R.S. § 18-1.3-401
Fine2000 usd to 500000 usd (Active participation in riot — unarmed — Applies when the participant does not employ any deadly weapon or destructive device during the riot participation.)discretionaryC.R.S. § 18-1.3-401
Parole / supervision3 years to 3 years (Active participation in riot — unarmed — Applies when the participant does not employ any deadly weapon or destructive device during the riot participation.; mandatory parole)mandatoryC.R.S. § 18-1.3-401
Jail / prison1 years to 3 years (Disobeying detention officer order during riot — Applies when a confined person intentionally disobeys a detention officer's order to move, disperse, or refrain from specified activities during an actual or impending riot.)presumptiveC.R.S. § 18-1.3-401
Fine1000 usd to 100000 usd (Disobeying detention officer order during riot — Applies when a confined person intentionally disobeys a detention officer's order to move, disperse, or refrain from specified activities during an actual or impending riot.)discretionaryC.R.S. § 18-1.3-401
Parole / supervision2 years to 2 years (Disobeying detention officer order during riot — Applies when a confined person intentionally disobeys a detention officer's order to move, disperse, or refrain from specified activities during an actual or impending riot.; mandatory parole)mandatoryC.R.S. § 18-1.3-401

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

How is riots in detention facilities classified in Colorado?

The classification depends on the circumstances:

Classification variants for Riots in detention facilities
VariantClassificationWhen it appliesStatute
Active participation in riot — armed with deadly weapon/deviceclass 3 felonyApplies when the participant employs a deadly weapon, destructive device, or an article fashioned to appear as a deadly weapon, or represents themselves as armed with a deadly weapon during the riot participation.18-8-211(2)(a)
Active participation in riot — unarmedclass 4 felonyApplies when the participant does not employ any deadly weapon or destructive device during the riot participation.18-8-211(2)(b)
Disobeying detention officer order during riotclass 5 felonyApplies when a confined person intentionally disobeys a detention officer's order to move, disperse, or refrain from specified activities during an actual or impending riot.18-8-211(3)

Common questions about riots in detention facilities in Colorado

Is riots in detention facilities a felony or a misdemeanor in Colorado?

It depends on the circumstances: riots in detention facilities ranges from a class 5 felony to a class 3 felony in Colorado under C.R.S. § 18-8-211.

Active participation in riot — armed with deadly weapon/device: class 3 felony (C.R.S. § 18-8-211(2)(a)) · Active participation in riot — unarmed: class 4 felony (C.R.S. § 18-8-211(2)(b)) · Disobeying detention officer order during riot: class 5 felony (C.R.S. § 18-8-211(3))

What are the penalties for riots in detention facilities in Colorado?

Penalties for riots in detention facilities in Colorado depend on how it is classified — from a class 5 felony up to a class 3 felony — with the ranges set by C.R.S. § 18-1.3-401; the full table of ranges by variant is published on this page.

Which Colorado statute covers riots in detention facilities?

Riots in detention facilities is governed by C.R.S. § 18-8-211 (Riots in detention facilities).

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.