Are you facing felony charges in Colorado?
If you’ve been arrested or charged with a felony, everything can feel like it’s moving too fast—bond conditions, protection orders, no-contact rules, court dates, and pressure to take a quick plea. A felony conviction can put your freedom, career, family, and future at risk.
Pav Law defends people accused of felonies across Colorado—from first-time allegations to the most serious cases. We step in early, push back on overcharging, and prepare every case as if it’s going to trial.
What counts as a felony in Colorado?
Colorado law divides crimes into misdemeanors and felonies. Felonies are the most serious criminal charges and can carry:
- Prison time in the Colorado Department of Corrections
- Mandatory parole after release
- Significant fines and restitution
- Loss of firearm rights
- Immigration consequences for non-citizens
- Long-term damage to employment, housing, and professional licenses
Felony charges cover a wide range of allegations, including violent crimes, domestic-violence-related felonies, sex offenses, serious drug cases, theft and white-collar crimes, weapons offenses, burglary, robbery, and more.
Related practice areas:
Assault • Domestic Violence • Sexual Assault • DUI & DWAI
Felony sentencing ranges in Colorado
For many felony offenses committed on or after July 1, 2020, Colorado law sets the following presumptive sentencing ranges and mandatory parole periods. Actual exposure can change based on enhancements, prior convictions, or offense-specific statutes.
Colorado Felony Penalties Table
| Felony Class | Presumptive Prison Sentence | Mandatory Parole |
|---|---|---|
| Class 1 Felony | Life imprisonment | None |
| Class 2 Felony | 8–24 years | 5 years (crime of violence) / 3 years (non-violent) |
| Class 3 Felony | 4–12 years | 3 years |
| Class 4 Felony | 2–6 years | 3 years |
| Class 5 Felony | 1–3 years | 2 years |
| Class 6 Felony | 1–18 months | 1 year |
Important: These are presumptive ranges. Allegations involving crimes of violence, extraordinary risk offenses, or prior felony convictions can significantly increase sentencing exposure.
Drug felony penalties in Colorado (DF1–DF4)
Colorado uses a separate classification system for many drug offenses. These cases are charged as Drug Felonies (DF1–DF4) and follow different sentencing rules.
Colorado Drug Felony Penalties Table
| Drug Felony Level | Presumptive Prison Sentence | Mandatory Parole |
|---|---|---|
| DF1 | 8–32 years | 3 years |
| DF2 | 4–8 years | 2 years |
| DF3 | 2–4 years | 1 year |
| DF4 | 6 months–1 year | 1 year |
Drug felony cases often involve aggravating factors, lab testing issues, weight thresholds, and possession challenges. These details frequently create opportunities to suppress evidence, reduce charges, or avoid DOC sentences entirely.
Crimes of violence can dramatically increase penalties
Certain felony charges can be labeled as “crimes of violence” if they involve allegations such as the use or threatened use of a deadly weapon or serious bodily injury. When that enhancement applies, sentencing exposure can increase substantially, sometimes requiring mandatory prison time or consecutive sentences.
This is one of the most important points where an experienced defense strategy matters. We aggressively challenge violence enhancements by attacking weak injury claims, unreliable witness statements, and unsupported weapon allegations.
How Pav Law defends felony cases
Felony cases are won by details—what the police did, what the evidence actually shows, and what the prosecution can prove beyond a reasonable doubt. Our felony defense approach often includes:
- Early intervention on bond and release conditions
- Strategic investigation, including video, phone data, and witness interviews
- Motions to suppress illegal searches and unreliable evidence
- Challenging overcharging and stacked counts
- Trial-ready preparation that creates real negotiation leverage
We don’t treat felony cases like paperwork exercises. We treat them like someone’s life depends on the outcome—because it often does.
What to do if you’ve been charged with a felony
If you’re facing felony charges, what you do next matters:
- Do not speak to law enforcement without an attorney
- Follow all bond conditions exactly
- Preserve texts, messages, photos, call logs, and location data
- Contact a defense lawyer as early as possible
Early mistakes can permanently limit your options later in the case.
Talk to a felony defense attorney
If you or someone you love is facing felony charges in Colorado, the sooner you have a defense strategy in place, the better positioned you’ll be to protect your future.
📞 Contact Pav Law to schedule a confidential consultation and start building your defense.