Make believe, or pretend, is a game for children, but some adults are tempted to play the game, too. However, if you impersonate someone or pretend to be another and benefit from the impersonation, you will face felony charges.
The criminal impersonation of another person is a Class 6 felony in Colorado. A conviction for this offense typically leads to expensive fines and/or imprisonment.
How does criminal impersonation occur?
If you pretend to be someone else casually, such as introducing yourself as another person, you probably won’t get into legal trouble. However, if you represent yourself incorrectly and reap unlawful rewards or cause mischief, the authorities will likely take a harsh approach to your case.
Six examples of this offense include:
- If you marry or pretend to marry someone under a name other than yours
- If you sign or file a legal document using the name of another person
- If you use a different name during a traffic stop or police investigation
- If you use a check belonging to another and sign the account holder’s name (you may face both forgery and impersonation charges)
- If you impersonate a police officer and pull someone over (even as a prank)
- If you engage in any act to unlawfully benefit yourself or harm (injure or defraud) another
Don’t forget that you will also face additional charges for any crimes you committed under the guise of another individual.
As you can see, an arrest for criminal impersonation requires a swift and comprehensive approach to avoid the harshest penalties. If the police arrested you on such charges, exploring your criminal defense options should be your first priority.