Illegal Possession of Weapons

Illegal weapons possession charges can be filed in cases when:

• A person is carrying a weapon even though he has lost his legal right to do so.
• The weapon being carried is legally classified to be a dangerous weapon (i.e., a silencer, machine gun, shotgun shorter than 18 inches, a ballistic knife and a rifle shorter than 16 inches) or an illegal weapon (i.e., a blackjack, gas gun, brass knuckles, gravity knife or switchblade).
• The weapon is being carried into a public or government-related building.

Individuals who have lost their right to carry firearms or weapons generally include those who:

• Have been convicted of a Felony Charge
• Have been convicted of domestic violence
• Are on parole or probation for a previous conviction.

At the Adams Law Firm, our Denver illegal weapons possession defense lawyers understand how serious these charges are, and we are fully committed to aggressively defending the rights of the accused in any legal setting. We know that illegal weapons possession convictions can have serious penalties that include jail time and fines, and our Denver illegal possession defense attorneys are passionate about helping our Clients achieve the most favorable possible outcomes to their cases.

Illegal Weapons Possession Convictions and Penalties

While the exact nature of the illegal weapons charges filed in a particular case will depend on the exact type of weapon allegedly possessed, the number of dangerous or illegal weapons a person is allegedly caught with and whether the accused has a criminal record. In general:

• First-time dangerous weapons possession charges will be filed as Class 5 felonies, which can be punished with between 1 and 3 years in prison and between $1,000 and $100,000 in fines (for extraordinary risk crimes, prison sentences can be up to 4 years)
• First-time illegal weapons possession charges will be filed as Class 1 misdemeanors, which can be punished with between 6 and 18 months in jail and between $500 and $5,000 in fines (extraordinary risk crimes can involve up to 2 years in jail).
• Second-time or any further illegal (or dangerous) weapons possession charges will be filed as Class 4 felonies, which can be punished by between 1 and 12 years in prison and fines between $2,000 and $500,00 (extraordinary risk crimes can be met with up to 16 years in prison).

Depending on the nature of the particular case, the Denver illegal weapons possession defense attorneys at the Adams Law Firm can argue that:

• Weapon was not owned by the accused person.
• The property on which the weapon is found did not belong to the defendant, and other parties had access to this property.
• The police illegally searched the property on which the weapon was found, and, therefore, the weapon was illegally seized by the law enforcement officials (a violation of the fourth Amendment).

For more information about your legal rights, as well as a professional assessment of your case, contact our Denver illegal weapons possession defense lawyers at the Adams Law Firm by emailing us or calling us at (720) 333-9490.