Colo. Rev. Stat. » Title 18
Colorado Revised Statutes

Colo. Rev. Stat. § 18-5-903 (2026)

Criminal possession of a financial device

✓ current as of July 2026
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(1) A person commits criminal possession of a financial device if the person has in his or her possession or under his or her control any financial device that the person knows, or reasonably should know, to be lost, stolen, or delivered under mistake as to the identity or address of the account holder.

(2) (a) Except as provided in subsection (2)(c) of this section, criminal possession of one or more financial devices is a class 2 misdemeanor.

(b) (Deleted by amendment, L. 2023.)

(c) Criminal possession of three or more financial devices, of which at least two are issued to different account holders, is a class 5 felony.

Source: L. 2006: Entire part added, p. 1323, § 8, effective July 1. L. 2021: (2)(a) amended, (SB 21-271), ch. 462, p. 3191, § 254, effective March 1, 2022. L. 2023: (2) amended, (HB 23-1293), ch. 298, p. 1787, § 23, effective October 1.

Notes of Decisions
Cited in 5 cases (3 in the last 5 years), 2013–2025 · leading case: v. People, 2019 CO 101 (Colo. 2019).
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v. People, 2019 CO 101 (Colo. 2019). · cites it 2× “(2019), and later added misdemeanor criminal possession of a financial device under section 18-5-903, C.R.S. (2019). As part of a plea agreement, she pled guilty to both charges.”
People v. Reed, 338 P.3d 364 (Colo. Ct. App. 2013). · cites it 7× “See § 18-5-903, C.R.8.2012. A person commits criminal possession of a financial device if the person has in his or her possession .”
People v. Christopher F. Poot-Baca, 544 P.3d 683 (Colo. Ct. App. 2023). · cites it 7× “Poot-Baca — Crimes — Identity Theft — Criminal Possession of a Financial Device; Criminal Law — Prosecution of Multiple Counts for Same Act — Lesser Included Offenses A division of the court of appeals concludes that criminal possession of a financial device, § 18-5-903(1),…”
Peo in Interest of DM (Colo. Ct. App. 2025). · cites it 5× “” The unlawful possession of one or more financial devices is a class 2 misdemeanor, § 18-5-903(2)(a), and in 2023 the criminal possession of “four or more financial devices, of which at least two are issued to different account holders,” was a class 5 felony, § 18-5-903(2)(c).”
Gonzalez v. City of Greeley, Colorado (D. Colo. 2023). “§ 18-5-903 (1) and (2)(b) and waived a factual basis for the conviction.”
Colo. Rev. Stat. § 18-5-903(1): 2 cases
People v. Reed, 338 P.3d 364 (Colo. Ct. App. 2013). “See § 18-5-903, C.R.8.2012. A person commits criminal possession of a financial device if the person has in his or her possession .”
People v. Christopher F. Poot-Baca, 544 P.3d 683 (Colo. Ct. App. 2023). “Poot-Baca — Crimes — Identity Theft — Criminal Possession of a Financial Device; Criminal Law — Prosecution of Multiple Counts for Same Act — Lesser Included Offenses A division of the court of appeals concludes that criminal possession of a financial device, § 18-5-903(1),…”
Colo. Rev. Stat. § 18-5-903(2)(a): 2 cases
People v. Christopher F. Poot-Baca, 544 P.3d 683 (Colo. Ct. App. 2023). “Poot-Baca — Crimes — Identity Theft — Criminal Possession of a Financial Device; Criminal Law — Prosecution of Multiple Counts for Same Act — Lesser Included Offenses A division of the court of appeals concludes that criminal possession of a financial device, § 18-5-903(1),…”
Peo in Interest of DM (Colo. Ct. App. 2025). “” The unlawful possession of one or more financial devices is a class 2 misdemeanor, § 18-5-903(2)(a), and in 2023 the criminal possession of “four or more financial devices, of which at least two are issued to different account holders,” was a class 5 felony, § 18-5-903(2)(c).”
Colo. Rev. Stat. § 18-5-903(2)(b): 1 case
People v. Reed, 338 P.3d 364 (Colo. Ct. App. 2013). “See § 18-5-903, C.R.8.2012. A person commits criminal possession of a financial device if the person has in his or her possession .”
Colo. Rev. Stat. § 18-5-903(2)(c): 1 case
Peo in Interest of DM (Colo. Ct. App. 2025). “” The unlawful possession of one or more financial devices is a class 2 misdemeanor, § 18-5-903(2)(a), and in 2023 the criminal possession of “four or more financial devices, of which at least two are issued to different account holders,” was a class 5 felony, § 18-5-903(2)(c).”
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