2016 Colorado Revised Statutes
Title 18 - Criminal Code
Article 1.3 - Sentencing in Criminal Cases
Part 8 - Special Proceedings - Sentencing of Habitual Criminals
§ 18-1.3-801. Punishment for habitual criminals

(1) (a) A person shall be adjudged an habitual criminal and shall be punished by a term in the department of corrections of life imprisonment if the person:

(I) Is convicted of:

(A) Any class 1 or 2 felony or level 1 drug felony; or

(B) Any class 3 felony that is a crime of violence, as defined in section 18-1.3-406 (2); and

(II) Has been twice convicted previously for any of the offenses described in subparagraph (I) of this paragraph (a).

(b) A felony described in subparagraph (I) of paragraph (a) of this subsection (1) is:

(I) One based upon charges separately brought and tried, and arising out of separate and distinct criminal episodes, in this or any other state; or

(II) A crime under the laws of any other state, the United States, or any territory subject to the jurisdiction of the United States, which, if committed within this state, would be such a felony described in paragraph (a) of this subsection (1).

(c) No person sentenced pursuant to this subsection (1) shall be eligible for parole until such person has served at least forty calendar years.

(d) Nothing in this subsection (1) prohibits the governor from issuing a pardon or a clemency order on a case-by-case basis; however, the governor shall submit a report to the general assembly on each such pardon or clemency order in accordance with section 7 of article IV of the state constitution.

(e) Nothing in this subsection (1) is to be construed to prohibit a person convicted of a class 1 felony from being sentenced pursuant to section 18-1.3-1201, 18-1.3-1302, or 18-1.4-102.

(f) This subsection (1) shall not apply to a person convicted of first or second degree burglary, which person shall be subject to subsections (1.5), (2), and (2.5) of this section and section 18-1.3-804.

(1.5) Except as otherwise provided in subsection (5) of this section, every person convicted in this state of any class 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5 felony or level 1, 2, or 3 drug felony who, within ten years of the date of the commission of the said offense, has been twice previously convicted upon charges separately brought and tried, and arising out of separate and distinct criminal episodes, either in this state or elsewhere, of a felony or, under the laws of any other state, the United States, or any territory subject to the jurisdiction of the United States, of a crime which, if committed within this state, would be a felony shall be adjudged an habitual criminal and shall be punished:

(a) For the felony offense of which such person is convicted by imprisonment in the department of corrections for a term of three times the maximum of the presumptive range pursuant to section 18-1.3-401 for the class or level of felony of which such person is convicted; or

(b) For the level 1 drug felony offense of which such person is convicted by imprisonment in the department of corrections for a term of forty-eight years.

(2) (a) (I) Except as otherwise provided in paragraph (b) of this subsection (2) and in subsection (5) of this section, every person convicted in this state of any felony, who has been three times previously convicted, upon charges separately brought and tried, and arising out of separate and distinct criminal episodes, either in this state or elsewhere, of a felony or, under the laws of any other state, the United States, or any territory subject to the jurisdiction of the United States, of a crime which, if committed within this state, would be a felony, shall be adjudged an habitual criminal and shall be punished:

(A) For the felony offense of which such person is convicted by imprisonment in the department of corrections for a term of four times the maximum of the presumptive range pursuant to section 18-1.3-401 for the class or level of felony of which such person is convicted; or

(B) For the level 1 drug felony offense of which such person is convicted by imprisonment in the department of corrections for a term of sixty-four years.

(II) Such former conviction or convictions and judgment or judgments shall be set forth in apt words in the indictment or information. Nothing in this part 8 shall abrogate or affect the punishment by death in any and all crimes punishable by death on or after July 1, 1972.

(b) The provisions of paragraph (a) of this subsection (2) shall not apply to a conviction for a level 4 drug felony pursuant to section 18-18-403.5 (2), or a conviction for a level 4 drug felony for attempt or conspiracy to commit unlawful possession of a controlled substance, as described in section 18-18-403.5 (2), if the amount of the schedule I or schedule II controlled substance possessed is not more than four grams or not more than two grams of methamphetamine, heroin, cathinones, or ketamine or not more than four milligrams of flunitrazepam, even if the person has been previously convicted of three or more qualifying felony convictions.

(2.5) Any person who is convicted and sentenced pursuant to subsection (2) of this section, or section 16-13-101 (2), C.R.S., as it existed prior to October 1, 2002, who is thereafter convicted of a felony which is a crime of violence pursuant to section 18-1.3-406, shall be adjudged an habitual criminal and shall be punished by a term in the department of corrections of life imprisonment. No person sentenced pursuant to this subsection (2.5) shall be eligible for parole until such person has served at least forty calendar years.

(3) No drug law conviction shall be counted as a prior felony conviction under this section unless such prior offense would be a felony if committed in this state at the time of the commission of the new offense.

(4) A person who meets the criteria set forth in subsection (1) of this section shall be adjudged an habitual criminal and sentenced only in accordance with that subsection and not pursuant to subsections (1.5), (2), and (2.5) of this section.

(5) A conviction for escape, as described in section 18-8-208 (1), (2), or (3), or attempt to escape, as described in section 18-8-208.1 (1), (1.5), or (2), shall not be used for the purpose of adjudicating a person an habitual criminal as described in subsection (1.5) or subsection (2) of this section unless the conviction is based on the offender's escape or attempt to escape from a correctional facility, as defined in section 17-1-102, C.R.S., or from physical custody within a county jail.