H. Michael Steinberg has 42+ years of experience practicing Colorado criminal law. Mr. Steinberg strives to stay current with the ever changing aspects of criminal law issues and updates resulting in his extensive knowledge of successful criminal defense as well as appellate work. He is also an active member of the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, the Colorado Criminal Defense Bar Association, the Colorado Trial Lawyer's Association, and the Colorado and Arapahoe Bar Associations.

Articles Posted in Colorado’s Fentanyl Death Enhancement

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Drug Distribution & Proximate Cause of Death: Colorado’s Fentanyl Death Enhancement Explained

Colorado prosecutors can charge a person who sold fentanyl with a level 1 drug felony, even for a small amount, if the sale is alleged to be the “proximate cause” of another person’s death.

That single phrase in C.R.S. § 18-18-405(2)(a)(III)(A) can move a case from a presumptive range of 2 to 4 years to a presumptive range of 8 to 32 years. In 2025, the Colorado Supreme Court explained what that phrase means in People v. Beverly, 2025 CO 18.

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