Colorado criminal charge
Unlawful acts in Colorado
Unlawful acts is a criminal offense under Colorado law, defined by C.R.S. § 18-18-414. 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. § 18-18-414.
What is the penalty for unlawful acts in Colorado?
| Penalty | Range | Basis | Authority |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jail / prison | 6 months to 12 months (Unlawful dispensing/possession under (1)(a)-(d) — Applies when a person violates paragraph (a), (b), (c), or (d) of subsection (1), covering unlawful possession/dispensing of schedule I substances, unlawful dispensing of schedule II substances, unlawful dispensing of schedule III/IV/V substances, or dispensing of marijuana or marijuana concentrate.; aggravated range 1-2 years) | presumptive | C.R.S. § 18-1.3-401.5 |
| Fine | 1000 usd to 100000 usd (Unlawful dispensing/possession under (1)(a)-(d) — Applies when a person violates paragraph (a), (b), (c), or (d) of subsection (1), covering unlawful possession/dispensing of schedule I substances, unlawful dispensing of schedule II substances, unlawful dispensing of schedule III/IV/V substances, or dispensing of marijuana or marijuana concentrate.) | discretionary | C.R.S. § 18-1.3-401.5 |
| Parole / supervision | 1 years to 1 years (Unlawful dispensing/possession under (1)(a)-(d) — Applies when a person violates paragraph (a), (b), (c), or (d) of subsection (1), covering unlawful possession/dispensing of schedule I substances, unlawful dispensing of schedule II substances, unlawful dispensing of schedule III/IV/V substances, or dispensing of marijuana or marijuana concentrate.; mandatory parole) | mandatory | C.R.S. § 18-1.3-401.5 |
| Jail / prison | up to 364 days (no statutory minimum) (Recordkeeping, labeling, refill, and possession violations under (1)(e)-(n) and emergency dispensing violations under (2) — Applies when a person violates paragraph (e), (f), (g), (h), (i), (j), (k), (l), (m), or (n) of subsection (1), or violates subsection (2), or violates any other provision of this part 4 for which no penalty is specified.) | discretionary | C.R.S. § 18-1.3-501 |
| Fine | 50 usd to 750 usd (Recordkeeping, labeling, refill, and possession violations under (1)(e)-(n) and emergency dispensing violations under (2) — Applies when a person violates paragraph (e), (f), (g), (h), (i), (j), (k), (l), (m), or (n) of subsection (1), or violates subsection (2), or violates any other provision of this part 4 for which no penalty is specified.) | discretionary | C.R.S. § 18-1.3-501 |
| Jail / prison | 2 years to 4 years (Precursor and false information violations under (1)(o),(q),(r),(t) — Applies when a person violates paragraph (o), (q), (r), or (t) of subsection (1), covering unlawful transfer or acquisition of drug precursors, furnishing false or fraudulent information in required records, or refusing entry for authorized inspection.; aggravated range 4-6 years) | presumptive | C.R.S. § 18-1.3-401.5 |
| Fine | 2000 usd to 500000 usd (Precursor and false information violations under (1)(o),(q),(r),(t) — Applies when a person violates paragraph (o), (q), (r), or (t) of subsection (1), covering unlawful transfer or acquisition of drug precursors, furnishing false or fraudulent information in required records, or refusing entry for authorized inspection.) | discretionary | C.R.S. § 18-1.3-401.5 |
| Parole / supervision | 1 years to 1 years (Precursor and false information violations under (1)(o),(q),(r),(t) — Applies when a person violates paragraph (o), (q), (r), or (t) of subsection (1), covering unlawful transfer or acquisition of drug precursors, furnishing false or fraudulent information in required records, or refusing entry for authorized inspection.; mandatory parole) | mandatory | C.R.S. § 18-1.3-401.5 |
Applies to offenses on/after 2013-10-01.
How is unlawful acts classified in Colorado?
The classification depends on the circumstances:
| Variant | Classification | When it applies | Statute |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unlawful dispensing/possession under (1)(a)-(d) | level 4 drug felony | Applies when a person violates paragraph (a), (b), (c), or (d) of subsection (1), covering unlawful possession/dispensing of schedule I substances, unlawful dispensing of schedule II substances, unlawful dispensing of schedule III/IV/V substances, or dispensing of marijuana or marijuana concentrate. | 18-18-414(3) |
| Recordkeeping, labeling, refill, and possession violations under (1)(e)-(n) and emergency dispensing violations under (2) | level 2 drug misdemeanor | Applies when a person violates paragraph (e), (f), (g), (h), (i), (j), (k), (l), (m), or (n) of subsection (1), or violates subsection (2), or violates any other provision of this part 4 for which no penalty is specified. | 18-18-414(4) |
| Precursor and false information violations under (1)(o),(q),(r),(t) | level 3 drug felony | Applies when a person violates paragraph (o), (q), (r), or (t) of subsection (1), covering unlawful transfer or acquisition of drug precursors, furnishing false or fraudulent information in required records, or refusing entry for authorized inspection. | 18-18-414(5) |
Common questions about unlawful acts in Colorado
Is unlawful acts a felony or a misdemeanor in Colorado?
It depends on the circumstances: unlawful acts ranges from a level 2 drug misdemeanor to a level 3 drug felony in Colorado under C.R.S. § 18-18-414.
Unlawful dispensing/possession under (1)(a)-(d): level 4 drug felony (C.R.S. § 18-18-414(3)) · Recordkeeping, labeling, refill, and possession violations under (1)(e)-(n) and emergency dispensing violations under (2): level 2 drug misdemeanor (C.R.S. § 18-18-414(4)) · Precursor and false information violations under (1)(o),(q),(r),(t): level 3 drug felony (C.R.S. § 18-18-414(5))
What are the penalties for unlawful acts in Colorado?
Penalties for unlawful acts in Colorado depend on how it is classified — from a level 2 drug misdemeanor up to a level 3 drug felony — with the ranges set by C.R.S. § 18-1.3-401.5 and C.R.S. § 18-1.3-501; the full table of ranges by variant is published on this page.
Which Colorado statute covers unlawful acts?
Unlawful acts is governed by C.R.S. § 18-18-414 (Unlawful acts - licenses - penalties).
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.