Recent Blog Posts
Can Police Search Your Vehicle Because They See A Firearm?
Seeing a firearm in a vehicle does not always give police the right to search the entire vehicle in Colorado. The answer depends on where the firearm was located, whether the stop was lawful, whether the officer had a safety concern, whether the firearm appeared illegal, and whether other facts suggested criminal activity. A… Read More »
Can You Be Charged With DUID In Colorado Without A Failed Breath Test?
Yes, you can be charged with DUID in Colorado even if you did not fail a breath test. That surprises many drivers because most people associate DUI cases with alcohol and breath testing. A breath test usually measures alcohol, not marijuana, prescription medication, illegal drugs, or other controlled substances. If an officer believes you… Read More »
Can Cash, Scales, Or Packaging Be Used To Prove Intent To Distribute?
Cash, scales, and packaging can be used by Colorado prosecutors as evidence in a drug distribution case, but those items do not automatically prove intent to distribute. That distinction matters. Many people carry cash for legal reasons. Scales can be used for lawful purposes. Plastic bags, containers, and packaging materials can appear in a… Read More »
How Drug Quantity Affects Federal Sentencing
Drug quantity can be one of the most important issues in a federal drug case. A few grams, ounces, pounds, pills, or dosage units may change the way prosecutors charge the case, the penalties a person faces, and the advisory sentencing guideline range used by the judge. In Colorado, a person may start out… Read More »
Can Federal Agents Search Your Cell Phone Without A Warrant?
A cell phone can hold years of private information. It may contain text messages, emails, photographs, videos, banking records, location data, internet searches, passwords, notes, call logs, app data, and private conversations. When federal agents take a phone during an investigation, the search can feel more invasive than a search of a home, car,… Read More »
How Federal Prosecutors Build Drug Trafficking Cases
Federal drug trafficking cases are rarely built overnight. By the time agents arrest someone or execute a search warrant, the government may have spent weeks or months collecting evidence. Federal prosecutors may use phone records, surveillance, informants, controlled buys, financial records, intercepted communications, traffic stops, search warrants, lab reports, and statements from cooperating witnesses…. Read More »
What Are The Penalties For Possessing A Firearm During A Drug Crime?
Possessing a firearm during a Colorado drug crime can turn an already serious case into a much more dangerous criminal prosecution. A drug case may start as a possession, distribution, manufacturing, or trafficking allegation, but the presence of a gun can change how police, prosecutors, and courts view the facts. Even if the firearm… Read More »
Possession With Intent To Deliver Vs Drug Trafficking In Colorado
A Colorado drug case can become much more serious when prosecutors claim the drugs were not only for personal use. Many people hear phrases such as “possession with intent to deliver,” “drug distribution,” “drug trafficking,” or “felony drug charge” and do not know what those terms mean in Colorado court. The wording matters because… Read More »
What Happens If Police Find A Gun During A Traffic Stop?
A traffic stop can become much more serious when police find a gun in the vehicle. What began as a stop for speeding, a lane change, expired tags, or a broken taillight may turn into a criminal investigation within minutes. In Colorado, not every firearm in a vehicle is illegal, but the facts matter…. Read More »
Possession Vs. Possession With Intent To Distribute In Colorado
A Boulder drug charge can become much more serious when prosecutors claim the case involves more than simple possession. Many people are shocked when a small traffic stop, home search, or police encounter turns into an allegation of possession with intent to distribute. The difference matters because Colorado criminal law treats possession and possession… Read More »
