Cortez Felony Lawyer
Felony charges in Montezuma County carry consequences that reach well beyond any sentence a judge might impose. A conviction can close doors on employment, housing, professional licensing, and for non-citizens, lawful status in the country. Reid DeChant at DeChant Law has handled felony cases from investigation through trial, including work as a public defender where he defended everything from theft and assault to sexual assault and homicide. If you are facing felony charges in Cortez or anywhere in the Four Corners region, what you do next matters more than almost anything else. The decisions made in the first days after an arrest routinely shape how a case ends up. A Cortez felony lawyer who has tried these cases and knows how to read a charging document carefully is not a luxury. It is the difference between a dismissal and a conviction that follows you for decades.
What Colorado Classifies as a Felony and Why the Class Level Matters
Colorado divides felonies into six classes, with Class 1 carrying the most severe punishment and Class 6 carrying the least. The class assigned to a charge directly drives the sentencing range a judge can impose. A Class 6 felony, for example, carries a presumptive range of 12 to 18 months in the Department of Corrections. A Class 2 felony can mean 8 to 24 years in prison. Certain charges also carry mandatory minimum sentences, which remove a judge’s discretion below a certain threshold.
In Montezuma County, the felony charges Reid sees most often involve drug offenses, assault, theft over the statutory thresholds, motor vehicle crimes, and domestic violence allegations that have escalated to felony-level charges. Charges can also be stacked, meaning prosecutors file multiple counts arising from a single incident. Each count represents its own exposure, and sentences can sometimes run consecutively rather than concurrently. Understanding what you are actually facing on paper, before assuming what a plea or trial might look like, is the starting point for any realistic defense.
It is also worth knowing that Colorado has a separate category called “extraordinary risk crimes” that push presumptive sentencing ranges higher. Aggravated robbery, certain sexual assault charges, and second-degree assault involving serious bodily injury all fall into this category. If your charges land here, the sentencing exposure is materially different from a standard felony in the same class.
How Felony Cases Move Through the Montezuma County Courts
The Montezuma County District Court in Cortez handles felony cases under the 22nd Judicial District. The process begins with an advisement, where you are formally told of the charges and your bond is set. That initial bond hearing matters. Bond conditions can restrict your movement, your contact with certain people, and your ability to work. Contesting bond conditions early, or seeking modification, is often one of the first practical things a felony attorney does.
After advisement, a preliminary hearing may be held to determine whether probable cause exists to proceed. This is not a trial on guilt, but it is a genuine opportunity to test the prosecution’s evidence. Witnesses can be cross-examined. Weaknesses in the case can be exposed on the record. Some charges get reduced or dismissed at this stage. After preliminary hearing, the case proceeds to arraignment, where a formal plea is entered, and then through pretrial motions, hearings, and ultimately either a negotiated resolution or trial.
One practical note specific to Montezuma County: the 22nd Judicial District covers a rural area with a smaller courthouse and docket than Denver or Jefferson County. That affects how cases are scheduled and how negotiations tend to move. Reid’s experience across multiple Colorado counties, including work in Adams, Denver, and Broomfield as a public defender, gives him an understanding of how different jurisdictions operate and where the leverage points typically are.
Defense That Actually Starts at the Evidence
Every felony defense worth building starts with a hard look at the evidence, not a rush to negotiate. Police reports are not always accurate. Witness accounts change. Physical evidence is collected under protocols that, when not followed correctly, can make that evidence inadmissible. Body camera footage, if it exists, can directly contradict what an officer wrote in a report. Lab results in drug cases carry chain-of-custody requirements that are sometimes poorly documented.
Reid’s training at Trial Lawyers College reinforced something he learned from working as a public defender: storytelling in the courtroom begins with understanding your client’s actual situation, not just the charges on paper. That means looking at what happened before the arrest, what the officers did during the stop or investigation, and whether any constitutional violations occurred during the search, seizure, or interrogation. A suppression motion that succeeds can eliminate evidence that prosecutors are counting on. Charges get dismissed or reduced when the evidence holding them up is challenged and fails.
In drug felonies particularly, the circumstances of the search matter enormously. Traffic stops that produce drug charges in Cortez often involve questions about whether the stop was lawful in the first place, whether consent to search was freely given, or whether a K-9 alert was used to justify a search that should have required a warrant. These are factual and legal questions that require someone willing to dig into the record rather than accept the prosecution’s version of events.
What a Felony Conviction Does Beyond the Sentence
Courts impose sentences. But convictions carry consequences that courts do not fully explain at sentencing. A felony on your record affects every background check you face for the rest of your life unless the record is later sealed. Colorado allows record sealing for certain felony convictions, but not all of them, and eligibility often depends on the offense type and how much time has passed.
For people working in licensed professions, a felony conviction can trigger licensing board proceedings that run separately from the criminal case. Nurses, contractors, teachers, and commercial drivers all face professional consequences that go beyond any criminal penalty. For non-citizens, a felony conviction can be the basis for removal proceedings regardless of how long someone has lived in the United States. These are not theoretical risks. They are things Reid keeps in mind when evaluating plea offers, because accepting a plea that resolves the criminal case on paper can open a different set of consequences that the client never saw coming.
Questions People Ask About Felony Charges in Cortez
Can a felony charge be reduced to a misdemeanor in Colorado?
Yes, in some situations. Prosecutors have discretion to amend charges as part of a plea negotiation, and certain statutes allow for deferred judgments or alternative sentencing that can lead to a lesser disposition. Whether this is possible depends heavily on the specific charges, the defendant’s history, and the strength of the evidence. It is not automatic, and it typically requires negotiation with the district attorney assigned to the case.
What is the difference between a deferred judgment and a plea of guilty?
A deferred judgment means you enter a guilty plea, but sentencing is postponed while you complete a probationary period. If you complete the conditions successfully, the plea is withdrawn and the case is dismissed. A straight guilty plea results in a conviction that goes on your record immediately. Deferred judgments are not available for all felony offenses and are subject to the prosecutor’s agreement.
How long do felony cases in Montezuma County typically take?
Felony cases rarely resolve quickly. A case that goes through preliminary hearing, motions, and trial can take a year or more from arrest to resolution. Cases that resolve by plea can sometimes close faster, but the timeline still depends on court scheduling, the complexity of the evidence, and whether any motions are filed. The 22nd Judicial District is a smaller court with a manageable docket, but scheduling still takes time.
Does Reid DeChant take felony cases to trial?
Yes. Reid is a trial attorney, and trial experience is central to how DeChant Law operates. His case results include Not Guilty verdicts on felony charges including assault with a deadly weapon, DUI third offense, and failure to register as a sex offender. Hiring someone who has actually tried felony cases changes how negotiations go, because prosecutors know the attorney will take the case to a jury if the offer is unreasonable.
What happens at the first court appearance after a felony arrest?
The first appearance is typically the advisement, where the charges are read and bond conditions are set. You do not enter a plea at this stage. Having an attorney at this hearing can make a significant difference in the bond that is set and whether conditions are imposed that would affect your work or family situation.
Can someone get out of jail before their felony case is resolved?
In most cases, yes. Bond is set at the advisement, and a court can release someone on a personal recognizance bond, a money bond, or with specific conditions. The exception is crimes with a presumption against bond, such as certain violent offenses. If bond is set at an amount you cannot afford, a motion to reduce bond can be filed and argued at a separate hearing.
Is it too late to get a lawyer if I have already talked to the police?
No. While what was said to law enforcement before an attorney was involved may already be on record, there is still a great deal a defense attorney can do. Statements can sometimes be suppressed depending on the circumstances of the interview. And many aspects of a defense, including challenging physical evidence, cross-examining witnesses, and negotiating with prosecutors, do not depend on what happened before an attorney entered the picture.
Talk to a Felony Defense Attorney Serving Cortez and Montezuma County
Reid DeChant has defended clients through the full range of felony charges in Colorado courts, from initial advisement to verdict. His background as a public defender means he has seen what happens when people face serious charges without real advocacy, and that experience shapes how he approaches every case. If you are dealing with felony charges in Cortez as a Montezuma County felony defense attorney, Reid will sit down with you, go through what the prosecution actually has, and give you an honest read on where things stand and what options are available.