Former Colorado state Sen. Sonya Jaquez Lewis is scheduled to return to a Denver courtroom on Feb. 27, 2026, to be sentenced after a jury on Jan. 28 found her guilty of four felony counts, including attempting to influence a public servant and three counts of forgery. The case centers on letters she submitted to the Colorado Senate Ethics Committee during an investigation into allegations that she mistreated Capitol aides.
According to CBS News Colorado, the verdict followed a three-day trial in Denver. Denver District Attorney John Walsh condemned the conduct, calling the fabrications "behavior that we as a community simply cannot tolerate."
Ethics Probe And The Letters
As reported by The Colorado Sun, investigators determined that at least one support letter Jaquez Lewis submitted was likely written without the knowledge or consent of the staffer whose name appeared on it. Prosecutors say she drafted multiple letters that appeared to be from former aides. In court, she acknowledged writing the notes but disputed that she intended to deceive the ethics panel.
What The Charges Mean
Per Colorado Public Radio, attempting to influence a public servant is a Class 4 felony in Colorado, carrying a potential sentence of up to six years in prison and a fine of as much as $500,000, while forgery carries lower maximum penalties. How much time, if any, Jaquez Lewis ultimately serves will depend on whether the judge orders sentences to run consecutively or concurrently and on the court’s overall sentencing decision.
Sentencing And What Comes Next
As detailed by The Colorado Sun, prosecutors have told the court they intend to seek probation at sentencing. Jaquez Lewis’s attorney described her as a busy and overwhelmed senator and sharply criticized the ethics process, referring to the panel as a "kangaroo court."
Local Fallout
According to The Boulder Reporting Lab, Jaquez Lewis represented Longmont and parts of Senate District 17 before resigning in February 2025, after which she was replaced through a vacancy committee. The outlet reports that the case has renewed local discussions about staff protections and ethics oversight at the State Capitol as sentencing approaches.
