Defacing Propiedad – Leyes y Penas en Colorado

Bajo la ley de Colorado, dañar o destruir instrumentos escritos, monumentos u otra propiedad es un delito penal. La mayoría de las condenas son delitos menores que conllevan hasta 18 meses de cárcel, $5,000 en multas y el pago para reparar o reemplazar la propiedad dañada.

En este artículo, nuestros abogados de defensa criminal en Denver, Colorado abordarán:

• 1. ¿Qué son los delitos de daño?
• 2. Dañar o destruir instrumentos escritos, C.R.S. 18-4-507
• 3. Dañar, destruir o remover monumentos, monumentos o accesorios, C.R.S. 18-4-508
• 4. Dañar propiedad, C.R.S. 18-4-509
• 5. Dañar un aviso publicado, C.R.S. 18-4-510
• 6. Delitos relacionados
• Lecturas adicionales

1. ¿Qué son los delitos de daño?

Dañar un objeto implica destruir o alterar su apariencia física. Los cargos y penas específicos dependen de:

• el tipo de objeto involucrado,
• la extensión del daño y
• el valor de la propiedad destruida.

Para que un fiscal te declare culpable de dañar propiedad, tienen que demostrar que sabías que estabas dañando la propiedad.

Por ejemplo, si pierdes el control de tu vehículo y chocas contra una pared en la propiedad de alguien, probablemente no serías culpable de dañar o destruir propiedad porque no causaste intencionalmente el daño.

painting or drawing graffiti,

or otherwise altering the appearance of the property.

Penalties for violating C.R.S. 18-4-509 include:

• 6 to 18 months in jail and
• a fine of up to $5,000.³

5. Defacing or damaging property of another, C.R.S. 18-4-510

C.R.S. 18-4-510 makes it a class 3 misdemeanor to knowingly deface, damage, or destroy the property of another person without their consent. This includes:

• graffiti
• scratching or etching
• throwing paint or other substances
• or otherwise altering the appearance of the property.

Penalties for violating C.R.S. 18-4-510 include:

• up to 6 months in jail and
• a fine of up to $750.⁴

6. Defacing or damaging property of a cemetery, C.R.S. 18-4-511

C.R.S. 18-4-511 makes it a class 2 misdemeanor to knowingly deface, damage, or destroy any property in a cemetery. This includes:

• graffiti
• scratching or etching
• throwing paint or other substances
• or otherwise altering the appearance of the property.

Penalties for violating C.R.S. 18-4-511 include:

• 3 to 12 months in jail and
• a fine of up to $1,000.⁵

7. Defacing or damaging property of a school, C.R.S. 18-4-512

C.R.S. 18-4-512 makes it a class 1 misdemeanor to knowingly deface, damage, or destroy any property of a school. This includes:

• graffiti
• scratching or etching
• throwing paint or other substances
• or otherwise altering the appearance of the property.

Penalties for violating C.R.S. 18-4-512 include:

• 6 to 18 months in jail and
• a fine of up to $5,000.⁶

8. Defacing or damaging property of a religious institution, C.R.S. 18-4-513

C.R.S. 18-4-513 makes it a class 1 misdemeanor to knowingly deface, damage, or destroy any property of a religious institution. This includes:

• graffiti
• scratching or etching
• throwing paint or other substances
• or otherwise altering the appearance of the property.

Penalties for violating C.R.S. 18-4-513 include:

• 6 to 18 months in jail and
• a fine of up to $5,000.⁷

9. Defacing or damaging property of a place of public transportation, C.R.S. 18-4-514

C.R.S. 18-4-514 makes it a class 1 misdemeanor to knowingly deface, damage, or destroy any property of a place of public transportation. This includes:

• graffiti
• scratching or etching
• throwing paint or other substances
• or otherwise altering the appearance of the property.

Penalties for violating C.R.S. 18-4-514 include:

• 6 to 18 months in jail and
• a fine of up to $5,000.⁸

10. Defacing or damaging property of a utility, C.R.S. 18-4-515

C.R.S. 18-4-515 makes it a class 1 misdemeanor to knowingly deface, damage, or destroy any property of a utility. This includes:

• graffiti
• scratching or etching
• throwing paint or other substances
• or otherwise altering the appearance of the property.

Penalties for violating C.R.S. 18-4-515 include:

• 6 to 18 months in jail and
• a fine of up to $5,000.⁹

11. Defacing or damaging property of a telecommunications provider, C.R.S. 18-4-516

C.R.S. 18-4-516 makes it a class 1 misdemeanor to knowingly deface, damage, or destroy any property of a telecommunications provider. This includes:

• graffiti
• scratching or etching
• throwing paint or other substances
• or otherwise altering the appearance of the property.

Penalties for violating C.R.S. 18-4-516 include:

• 6 to 18 months in jail and
• a fine of up to $5,000.¹⁰

12. Defacing or damaging property of a public utility, C.R.S. 18-4-517

C.R.S. 18-4-517 makes it a class 1 misdemeanor to knowingly deface, damage, or destroy any property of a public utility. This includes:

• graffiti
• scratching or etching
• throwing paint or other substances
• or otherwise altering the appearance of the property.

Penalties for violating C.R.S. 18-4-517 include:

• 6 to 18 months in jail and
• a fine of up to $5,000.¹¹

13. Defacing or damaging property of a public transportation facility, C.R.S. 18-4-518

C.R.S. 18-4-518 makes it a class 1 misdemeanor to knowingly deface, damage, or destroy any property of a public transportation facility. This includes:

• graffiti
• scratching or etching
• throwing paint or other substances
• or otherwise altering the appearance of the property.

Penalties for violating C.R.S. 18-4-518 include:

• 6 to 18 months in jail and
• a fine of up to $5,000.¹²

14. Defacing or damaging property of a public transportation vehicle, C.R.S. 18-4-519

C.R.S. 18-4-519 makes it a class 1 misdemeanor to knowingly deface, damage, or destroy any property of a public transportation vehicle. This includes:

• graffiti
• scratching or etching
• throwing paint or other substances
• or otherwise altering the appearance of the property.

Penalties for violating C.R.S. 18-4-519 include:

• 6 to 18 months in jail and
• a fine of up to $5,000.¹³

15. Defacing or damaging property of a public transportation facility or vehicle, C.R.S. 18-4-520

C.R.S. 18-4-520 makes it a class 1 misdemeanor to knowingly deface, damage, or destroy any property of a public transportation facility or vehicle. This includes:

• graffiti
• scratching or etching
• throwing paint or other substances
• or otherwise altering the appearance of the property.

Penalties for violating C.R.S. 18-4-520 include:

• 6 to 18 months in jail and
• a fine of up to $5,000.¹⁴

16. Defacing or damaging property of a public transportation facility or vehicle, C.R.S. 18-4-521

C.R.S. 18-4-521 makes it a class 1 misdemeanor to knowingly deface, damage, or destroy any property of a public transportation facility or vehicle. This includes:

• graffiti
• scratching or etching
• throwing paint or other substances
• or otherwise altering the appearance of the property.

Penalties for violating C.R.S. 18-4-521 include:

• 6 to 18 months in jail and
• a fine of up to $5,000.¹⁵

17. Defacing or damaging property of a public transportation facility or vehicle, C.R.S. 18-4-522

C.R.S. 18-4-522 makes it a class 1 misdemeanor to knowingly deface, damage, or destroy any property of a public transportation facility or vehicle. This includes:

• graffiti
• scratching or etching
• throwing paint or other substances
• or otherwise altering the appearance of the property.

Penalties for violating C.R.S. 18-4-522 include:

• 6 to 18 months in jail and
• a fine of up to $5,000.¹⁶

18. Defacing or damaging property of a public transportation facility or vehicle, C.R.S. 18-4-523

C.R.S. 18-4-523 makes it a class 1 misdemeanor to knowingly deface, damage, or destroy any property of a public transportation facility or vehicle. This includes:

• graffiti
• scratching or etchingdibujo,
• escritura,
• pintura,
• uso de tinta u otra sustancia, como ácido.³

Dañar propiedad bajo C.R.S. 18-4-509 es un delito menor de clase 2, que conlleva las sanciones máximas de:

• hasta 12 meses en la cárcel y
• una multa de hasta $1,000.

El tribunal tiene la discreción de imponer sentencias alternativas, dependiendo de la naturaleza del delito. Sin embargo, una segunda o posterior condena por dañar propiedad es un delito menor de clase 1, que puede resultar en hasta 18 meses en la cárcel.
Además de multas, también se puede ordenar el pago de restitución por la propiedad dañada. Tenga en cuenta que cualquier persona que ayude o permita el daño a propiedad pública o privada también puede ser acusada penalmente.

5. Dañar aviso publicado, C.R.S. 18-4-510

Bajo C.R.S. 18-4-510, “cualquier persona que marque, destruya o retire cualquier aviso publicado autorizado por ley comete un delito menor de clase 1”.

Los avisos públicos tienen la intención de notificar al público sobre acciones gubernamentales, cambios en negocios u otra información requerida. Un aviso podría indicar que:

• un edificio va a ser demolido,
• un negocio está obteniendo una licencia de licor, o
• una propiedad residencial va a ser vendida.

Un delito menor de clase 1 conlleva una pena de:

• hasta 6 meses en la cárcel y
• una multa de hasta $500.

6. Delitos relacionados

Vandalismo, C.R.S. 18-4-501

Vandalismo bajo C.R.S. 18-4-501 implica dañar conscientemente propiedad real o propiedad personal de otra persona. Incluso si co-propietario de la propiedad que dañó, aún podría ser acusado de vandalismo.

Las sanciones por daño criminal dependen del valor de la propiedad destruida. Si destruyes varios artículos, entonces el valor se calcula como el daño total combinado.⁴

Valor de la propiedad	Clase de delito	Sanciones de cárcel/prisión	Multas
Menos de $300	Delito menor de clase 3	Hasta 6 meses	Hasta $750
$300 a menos de $750	Delito menor de clase 2	3-12 meses	Hasta $1,000
$750 a menos de $1,000	Delito menor de clase 1	6-18 meses	Hasta $5,000
$1,000 a menos de $5,000	Delito grave de clase 6	12-16 meses	Hasta $100,000
$5,000 a menos de $20,000	Delito grave de clase 5	1-3 años	Hasta $100,000
$20,000 a menos de $100,000	Delito grave de clase 4	2-6 años	Hasta $500,000
$100,000 a menos de $1 millón.	Delito grave de clase 3	4-12 años	Hasta $750,000
Más de $1 millón	Delito grave de clase 2	8-24 años	Hasta $1,000,000

Lectura adicional

Para obtener información más detallada, consulta estos artículos académicos:

¿Vándalos o visionarios? La crítica ética del arte callejero – Ensayos en Filosofía.

¿Son artistas de graffiti o vándalos? ¿Deberían ser castigados o azotados? Un vistazo a los últimos intentos legislativos para erradicar el graffiti – DePaul-LCA Journal of Art & Entertainment Law.

Imágenes criminales: El juicio afectivo del graffiti y el arte callejero – Crime, Media, Culture: An International Journal.

Daño a la propiedad motivado políticamente – The Harvard Review of Philosophy.

Hablando con tiza: Desfigurando la Primera Enmienda en el foro público – West Virginia Law Review.

---

Referencias legales