Colorado § 18-6-401.2 - Habitual child abusers - indictment or information - verdict of the jury.

§ 18-6-401.2. Habitual child abusers - indictment or information - verdict of the jury.

(1) For the purposes of this section, "child abuse" means child abuse as defined in section 18-6-401 (1).

(2) Every person convicted in this state of an act of child abuse who has been previously convicted upon charges prior to the commission of the present act, which were separately brought, either in this state or elsewhere, of an act of child abuse or who has been previously convicted under the laws of any other state, the United States, or any territory subject to the jurisdiction of the United States of an unlawful act which, if committed within this state, would be an act of child abuse shall be adjudged an habitual child abuser. If the second or subsequent act of child abuse for which a defendant is convicted constitutes a class 3 felony under section 18-6-401 (7)(a)(II) or a class 4 felony under section 18-6-401 (7)(a)(IV), the sentence imposed shall be served in the department of corrections and shall not be less than the upper limit of the presumptive range for that class felony as set out in section 18-1.3-401. If the second or subsequent act of child abuse for which a defendant is convicted constitutes a misdemeanor, the sentence imposed shall be served in the county jail and shall not be less than the maximum sentence for that class misdemeanor as set out in section 18-1.3-501.

(3) Any previous conviction of an act of child abuse shall be set forth in apt words in the complaint, indictment, or information. For purposes of trial, a duly authenticated copy of the record of previous convictions and judgments of any court of record for any of said crimes of the party indicted, charged, or informed against shall be prima facie evidence of such convictions and may be used in evidence against such party. A duly authenticated copy of the records of institutions of treatment or incarceration, including, but not limited to, records pertaining to identification of the party indicted, charged, or informed against, shall be prima facie evidence of the facts contained therein and may be used in evidence against such party.

(4) Any person who is subject to the provisions of this section shall not be eligible for probation or suspension of sentence or deferred prosecution.

(5) The procedures specified in section 18-1.3-803 shall govern in a trial to which the provisions of this section are alleged to apply based on a previous conviction or convictions for an act of child abuse as set out in the complaint, indictment, or information.

Source: L. 85: Entire section added, p. 674, § 3, effective June 7. L. 96: (5) amended, p. 1846, § 19, effective July 1. L. 2002: (2) and (5) amended, p. 1515, § 199, effective October 1. L. 2003: (2) amended, p. 1428, § 9, effective April 29.

Cross references: (1) For provisions concerning habitual sex offenders against children that are similar to the provisions of this section, see § 18-3-412.

(2) For the legislative declaration contained in the 2002 act amending subsections (2) and (5), see section 1 of chapter 318, Session Laws of Colorado 2002.