Age of Consent and Colorado Sex Crimes

Under Colorado law, consent is defined as the ability of an individual to understand, agree to and cooperate in sexual activity with another individual. Sex crimes can occur when a person is denied their ability to consent for one reason or another. Consent laws usually come into effect when one of the parties involved in a case is a minor, or under the age of 18.
These confusing laws can lead to false accusations or criminal charges for unlawful sexual behavior. If you or someone you love has been accused of or charged with a sex crime in Colorado, you need an aggressive Colorado criminal defense attorney with experience in sex crime cases. The Denver sex crime defense lawyers understand Colorado’s consent laws and what they mean for clients accused of sex crimes.

Age of Consent in Colorado

The generally accepted age of consent in Colorado is 17 for most of Colorado’s laws regarding sex crimes, including Sexual Assault (C.R.S. 18-3-402). Although the Colorado Revised Statutes (C.R.S.) defines what consent is under C.R.S. 18-3-401, there are different conflicting laws regarding the age of consent.
Most of the sexual crimes against children (C.R.S. 18-3-401 through 405) like sexual assault on a child or sexual exploitation of a child define “child” as a minor under the age of fifteen. Usually, the accused also has to be four or more years older than the alleged victim to be charged with a sex crime against a child.
There is one major exception to Colorado’s age of consent laws. One law for Unlawful Sexual Conduct—C.R.S. 18-3-404 (1.5)—states that: the term “child” means “any person under the age of eighteen years”.  This can lead to confusion among parents who have sexually active teenagers and can lead to accusations of sexual assault or other Colorado sex crimes.

Colorado Sex Crime Defense Lawyers

While the Colorado laws governing consent may be confusing for individuals, the experienced Denver sex crime defense attorneys understand the laws. Our criminal defense attorneys will be able to explain the details of any sex crime charges that are leveled against our clients as well as tailor a defense strategy to the consent laws that apply in your case.