A criminal impersonation charge in Colorado can carry severe consequences, from felony convictions to lasting damage to your career and personal life. Under Colorado Revised Statute § 18-5-113, assuming a false or fictitious identity to gain a benefit or cause harm to another person is a criminal offense that Denver prosecutors across the metro area take seriously. The penalties vary depending on the nature of the alleged conduct, ranging from misdemeanor charges to class 5 and class 6 felony charges.
At Shazam Kianpour & Associates, P.C., our Denver criminal impersonation defense attorneys have handled theft and economic crime cases throughout Arapahoe, Denver, Douglas, Jefferson, and Adams County. We understand the financial, professional, and personal consequences an accusation like this can create, and we are prepared to challenge the evidence against you at every stage of the process.
According to CRS § 18-5-113, a person commits criminal impersonation by knowingly assuming a false identity or legal capacity and then performing an act in that assumed identity. The statute covers a broad range of conduct, including marrying or pretending to marry another person under a false identity, becoming bail or surety for another party under false pretenses, confessing a judgment or verifying a legal document, performing an act that subjects the impersonated person to civil or criminal liability, and performing any act with the intent to unlawfully gain a benefit or injure another.
Following the 2023 amendment under HB 23-1293, criminal impersonation penalties now vary based on the specific violation. Violations involving acts that subject the impersonated person to liability or legal proceedings are classified as a class 5 felony, carrying one to three years in the Colorado Department of Corrections and fines up to $100,000. Violations involving intent to unlawfully gain a benefit remain a class 6 felony, punishable by 12 to 18 months in state prison, with a mandatory one-year parole period upon release. Using false personal identifying information to perform acts that could injure or defraud another is a class 1 misdemeanor, while performing such acts with intent to gain a benefit is a class 2 misdemeanor.
Criminal impersonation is categorized as a crime of moral turpitude under Colorado and federal law, which means the consequences extend far beyond potential prison time. A conviction can create significant barriers when applying for employment, professional licensing in fields such as nursing, education, or finance, housing through landlord background checks, personal or home loans, and student financial aid. A felony conviction of this nature can also carry severe immigration consequences, including deportation or inadmissibility for non-citizen defendants.
According to the Federal Trade Commission’s 2024 Consumer Sentinel Network Data Book, identity-related offenses remain among the most commonly reported consumer complaints in the United States. Colorado prosecutors are increasingly aggressive in pursuing these cases, making strong legal representation essential from the very beginning of your case.
Our criminal impersonation defense team has defended clients facing identity theft charges and related offenses across Colorado courts. We examine every detail of the prosecution’s evidence, including whether law enforcement properly identified you, whether the alleged impersonation fits the statutory definition, and whether any constitutional rights were violated during the investigation.
No two cases like this are identical. The facts surrounding the alleged conduct, the intent behind it, and the evidence available all shape the defense our team will build on your behalf. Our attorneys review every detail before determining which approach gives you the strongest position in court.
Common defense strategies in criminal impersonation cases include challenging whether you actually knew you were assuming a false identity, arguing that no act in furtherance of the impersonation was completed, establishing that the evidence is insufficient to prove the required mental state beyond a reasonable doubt, and investigating whether the charges stem from a mistaken identification or a personal dispute. When the facts make a full dismissal difficult, we also pursue negotiated reductions to avoid the harshest consequences of a felony record.
If you are contacted or stopped by law enforcement, providing false identifying information is a separate criminal offense under Colorado law. Fraud-related offenses such as giving a wrong birth date, misspelling your name intentionally, or presenting someone else’s identification can result in false reporting to authorities charges. This offense is a class 3 misdemeanor in Colorado, carrying up to six months in county jail.
A conviction for false reporting also creates a permanent record of untruthfulness. In any future trial or legal hearing, prosecutors are permitted by law to highlight your prior conviction to undermine your credibility before a judge or jury. Criminal impersonation often overlaps with other identity-related charges under Colorado law. Employee theft cases, for example, sometimes involve allegations of assuming another person’s credentials or access to commit financial crimes. Identity theft under CRS 18-5-902 involves the unauthorized use of another person’s personal identifying information to obtain credit, goods, or services. Understanding the distinctions between these charges is critical to building an effective defense.
The questions people search most often about criminal impersonation reflect genuine confusion about what the law covers and what the consequences are. The answers below are based on Colorado law and are intended to provide general information, not legal advice for your specific case.
Criminal impersonation in Colorado may be charged as either a felony or a misdemeanor depending on the specific conduct. Acts that subject the impersonated person to civil or criminal liability or legal proceedings are charged as a class 5 felony, while acts intended to gain a benefit are a class 6 felony. Using false identifying information with the potential to injure or defraud another is a class 1 misdemeanor, and doing so with intent to gain a benefit is a class 2 misdemeanor. The classification depends on exactly what the prosecution alleges you did, which is why the statutory language matters so much in these cases.
Yes. A class 5 felony conviction for criminal impersonation in Colorado carries one to three years in the Colorado Department of Corrections. A class 6 felony carries 12 to 18 months in state prison with a mandatory one-year parole period. Even misdemeanor impersonation charges can result in county jail time. The severity of potential incarceration depends on the classification of the specific charge, whether this is a first offense, and other factors a judge weighs at sentencing.
Impersonating a lawyer or any other licensed professional in Colorado may be charged as criminal impersonation under CRS § 18-5-113 if the act was performed under a false identity with intent to gain a benefit or cause harm. Depending on the conduct involved, this may be elevated to a class 5 felony, particularly if the impersonation exposed someone to legal liability or legal proceedings. Additional charges such as unauthorized practice of law under CRS § 12-5-112 may also apply, which is a separate misdemeanor offense.
Under Colorado law, criminal impersonation means knowingly assuming a false or fictitious identity or legal capacity and then performing an act in that assumed identity. It is not enough to simply lie about who you are; the statute requires that you also take a specific act, such as signing a document, making a legal claim, or performing a transaction in the false identity. The law targets situations where the false identity is used to accomplish something with legal or financial consequences.
Impersonating someone online may be charged under Colorado's criminal impersonation statute if you assumed a false identity and performed an act intending to gain a benefit or cause harm. Online impersonation that results in financial fraud may also be charged alongside identity theft under CRS 18-5-902 or fraud. In some cases, federal charges may apply as well. Colorado prosecutors increasingly pursue online impersonation cases as digital evidence becomes easier to obtain and preserve.
When you are facing criminal impersonation charges or false reporting allegations in Denver, the decisions you make early in your case can determine the outcome. Shazam Kianpour and our team of attorneys have represented thousands of people throughout Colorado in criminal and traffic cases. With a background in the Colorado public defender’s office and an extensive network of relationships within the Colorado criminal justice system, our firm brings the knowledge and courtroom confidence needed to protect your rights.
Do not let a single mistake define the rest of your life. Contact our defense team at Shazam Kianpour & Associates, P.C., today for a free consultation. Call us day or night to begin building your defense.
