Unlawful Sexual Contact Charges | Unwanted Touching

Unlawful sexual contact charges in Arapahoe, Douglas, or El Paso County can result from accusations of nonconsensual touching. It must involve an intimate body part and lack consent for criminal charges to apply. This can include touching a person’s butt, rubbing their crotch, or groping a woman’s breast without permission. While some believe this offense is blatantly obvious and make immediate assumptions about a defendant, it isn’t uncommon for alleged victims to lie or embellish their story underneath an ulterior motive. Contact one of our skilled sex offense lawyers today if you’re facing an allegation like this in Colorado.

Colorado’s Unlawful Sexual Contact Law

Colorado’s unlawful sexual contact law prohibits touching someone’s private parts without permission. CRS 18-3-404 is the criminal code that defines this sex offense in Arapahoe, Douglas, and El Paso County. You commit unlawful sexual contact in Aurora, Castle Rock, or Colorado Springs if you:

knowingly touch another’s intimate parts without consent,
or knowingly cause another to touch your intimate parts without their consent

It is important to note that a current or prior romantic relationship with someone doesn’t automatically equal consent. Just because you’re dating or did date someone won’t make an allegation of unlawful sexual contact go away. If the allegations escalate to include nonconsensual penetration or intrusion, sexual assault charges apply.

Is Unlawful Sexual Contact a Misdemeanor in Douglas County?

Unlawful sexual contact is most often a misdemeanor throughout Colorado. However, it is at minimum a class 1 misdemeanor. A conviction can lead to:

a county jail sentence of up to 12 months,
a max fine of $1,000,
sex offender registration

From there, this offense becomes a felony with the presence of force, intimidation, threats, injury, or possession / use of a deadly weapon. This can lead to years in prison and in some cases, an indeterminate sentence.

Strategic Sex Crime Defense

Any allegation of unlawful sexual contact requires immediate action by the accused. The penalties for a conviction are too severe to wait. Securing a strategic sex crimes attorney early on has many benefits and often leads to a better outcome. Perhaps the contact was an accident, it wasn’t for sexual gratification, or the accusations simply aren’t true.

Nevertheless, contact our office for a free, confidential consultation with an experienced criminal lawyer. We will thoroughly evaluate your situation and recommend next steps in your defense. We offer same-day jail visits, affordable fees, and flexible payment plans for those facing accusations in Denver, Aurora, Castle Rock, and Colorado Springs.