Kidnapping charges are extremely serious charges that require the help of an experienced Colorado criminal defense attorney to ensure that you do not spend the rest of your life in prison. Kidnapping can range from unlawfully detaining someone all the way up to actual abduction of another person for the exchange of a ransom. The right Colorado Springs criminal defense attorney can launch an appropriate defense and protect your rights and your freedom.
What is the Legal Definition of Kidnapping?
Kidnapping is legally defined as illegally confining or abducting a person for a type of reward or ransom. However, kidnapping can also extend to custodial situations in which one parent does not return the child to the other parent.
You may not know it, but you can be charged with kidnapping for these innocent-seeming acts:
- Taking someone else's child on a trip without parental knowledge
- Not letting someone leave your house during an argument or disagreement
- Picking up your child from school and going somewhere without notifying the other parent
A Colorado kidnapping lawyer can examine all of the evidence in the case against you and determine whether the charges are valid and whether the case has merit. Then, your Colorado criminal defense attorney can launch the proper defense to keep you from facing severe penalties.
Penalties for Kidnapping
The penalties involved with a kidnapping conviction are quite steep. The charges themselves range from felony to misdemeanor charges and can carry a potential for up to 24 years in prison. You may also face fines ranging up to several thousands of dollars if you are convicted. Your Colorado criminal defense attorney wants to ensure that the penalties for your case are minimized as much as possible. Your freedom and your reputation are important to your Colorado criminal defense attorney, so he will diligently present your case to the court.
Regardless of the circumstances surrounding your kidnapping charges, these are not a charge to take lightly by any stretch. Make sure that your case is handled by an experienced Colorado kidnapping lawyer who can defend you properly. You may feel that your innocence will resolve the situation immediately, but do not hesitate to contact a Colorado criminal defense attorney as soon as you are charged.
