Weld County Contributing to the Delinquency of a Minor (CRS 18-6-701)

A new law has been proposed to Weld County and other counties in Colorado in which it would become legal for parents to buy alcohol for their children if they were dining in a restaurant or public place in which alcohol is allowed on the property. Lawmakers also wish to allow those in the armed forces who are not yet 21 to be able to legally drink with their parents in bars or restaurants in Greeley, Berthoud, or Erie.

Contributing to the Delinquency of a Minor is a serious felony charge that occurs when an adult encourages, assists, or enables a minor or juvenile, child under the age of 18, to break a federal, state, or municipal law. This is most often done by buying, supplying, or allowing a child to drink alcohol before the legal age of 21 in Weld County cities like Keenesburg, Milliken, or Eaton.

Contributing to the Delinquency of a Minor is a Class 4 Felony, and can be punished by up to six years in prison plus parole. This crime involves minors, and if a teacher or other employee of the school district is convicted of this crime, the Department of Education must be notified. Because this crime is classed as a felony, the repercussions are more serious and extensive. People with a felony conviction can never have their records sealed or expunged; they forfeit their gun rights, and must deal with the life-time stigma of being a convicted felon. We talk to many good people every day who decided to take a plea agreement for a lesser felony, only to realize much later that what they gave up in the long run was much more valuable than the amount of money they would have spent on a lawyer to defend them, and get their charges reduced.

If you are contacted by police on charges of Contributing to the Delinquency of a Minor, be smart, exercise your right to remain silent, and contact the experienced criminal defense attorneys at the O’Malley Law Office at 970-616-6009. Together, we can protect your future.