Weapons Charges Lawyers in Denver Protecting Your Freedoms
Colorado has the 18th highest firearm death rate in the country, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Every year nearly 800 people die and more than 400 people are wounded by guns, including adults and children.
To protect more people from injuries or death related to dangerous weapons, owning firearms comes with specific qualifications and even valid gun owners can face criminal charges depending on how they are used in accordance with federal law.
Weapons crimes are taken seriously in Colorado. The state recognizes two types of weapons:
- Dangerous weapons such as certain types of firearms, machine guns, short shotguns, rifles, and ballistic knives
- Illegal weapons such as blackjacks, switchblade knives, or metallic knuckles
A person may own a dangerous weapon or an illegal weapon but not cause bodily harm to another person. If there was intent to harm, this will be treated in a different matter in court, and firearms are not allowed in schools or government buildings.
If you have been accused of using a deadly weapon or caused harm to another person with an illegal weapon, you need our Denver criminal defense attorneys to review your case and come up with a strategy for the best possible outcome. Book a free consultation today and see how our law office can step in: (303) 564-7313.
What is a Weapons Charge?
Certain weapons are classified as offensive regardless of the context in which they are carried or used. Possession, purchase, or acquisition of a prohibited weapon or ammunition without a certificate or by a person with previous convictions is forbidden from carrying this type of weapon.
Firearm charges can range from misdemeanors to felony charges and other severe penalties. A previous offender is faced with a considerable charge and penalty for multiple offenses with a dangerous or illegal weapon.
Common firearms charges in Colorado include:
- Prohibited use of a firearm
- Defacing a firearm or possession of a defaced firearm
- The unlawful purchase of a firearm
- Unlawfully carrying a concealed weapon
- Possession of a weapon by a previous offender
- Illegal discharge of a firearm
If you are facing Colorado weapons charges, you need a strong Denver criminal defense attorney like Ragab Law Firm, P.C., who understands the law and can help you understand your charges and potential consequences. Call our law office and share your case to see if we can help.
If I’ve Been Charged with a Dangerous or Illegal Weapon, What Next?
A firearm, the unlawful purchase of a dangerous weapon, or another serious weapon charge can have serious consequences, including prison time and costly fines, hinder a person’s ability to own a gun in the future, secure housing, or limit job opportunities with a criminal record.
If you are caught with a deadly weapon or illegal weapons despite federal law requirements, a criminal defense attorney can review your case and determine the best path to minimize the impact on your record, lessen fees, and possibly your sentence, depending on the circumstances.
If you knowingly possess a firearm against Colorado law, possible ramifications include:
- Possession of a dangerous weapon and a class 5 felony punishable by one to three years in prison or a fine up to $100,000
- Possession of an illegal weapon and a class 1 misdemeanor punishable by six to 18 months in prison or a fine up to $5,000
- Possession of a defaced firearm and a class 1 misdemeanor punishable by up to one year of jail time or a fine up to $1,000
- The unlawful purchase of a deadly weapon and a class 4 felony punishable by up to two to six years in prison or a fine of up to $500,000
For repeat offenders, convicted felons, or other weapons offenses, you are facing a serious weapons crime, including 18 months in prison and up to $100,000 in fines if convicted. Speak with one of our Denver criminal defense attorneys and explore your options at (303) 564-7313.
How Can a Weapons Charge Lawyer Help?
If you are illegally caught acquiring or in possession of a concealed weapon in Colorado, a weapons charges lawyer might be your only solution to an improved sentence and lesser fines, whether you are a first-time offender or a previous offender.
Like anything else, circumstances matter and dictate the overall conviction and penalties associated with your weapons charges. If you have prior convictions like other weapons charges or criminal charges like domestic violence involving a firearm, the court may punish you to the fullest extent of the law without legal representation and you may never be able to own a firearm again.
In other instances, you might be wrongfully accused, or general confusion and clarity around gun laws might change the outcome when a case is presented. A Denver criminal defense attorney like Ragab Law Firm, P.C., understands the complex and changing laws in Colorado that can positively or negatively impact your case, as well as defenses and strategies that work in firearm-related charges.
We can protect your rights and advocate for you, especially in the instances we can prove you did not have a weapon or the other weapon was not an illegal weapon, among other possible defenses. With federal crimes and a weapons conviction more serious in nature, we’ll be prepared to defend you in a federal case.
Talk to a Weapons Charges Lawyer
The stakes are higher when a deadly weapon is involved. The penalties are also higher, and a criminal record also hangs in the balance, as well as your freedom and future rights. Colorado has specific laws related to who can possess guns or other weapons, including what kind of weapons you can have, and how and where they can be used.
While you have the right to bear arms, gas guns, a firearm silencer, and other illegal and deadly weapons go against federal law. In more serious cases, you could be arrested and charged with a federal offense with maximum penalties.
The law office of Ragab Law Firm, P.C. can help you understand your rights, the Colorado gun laws, and how your charges will be handled in the trial. The right legal representation is key in navigating the complicated system and helping you build a strong defense to any set of charges or various felonies committed when using the gun, as well as repeat offenses.
Our goal is to keep you out of jail at all costs. However, in more serious cases, as clear evidence is present against you, we might be the only opportunity for a plea deal or bargain rather than a maximum sentence. Book a free consultation with a criminal defense attorney with Ragab Law Firm, P.C., and we can help you face your weapons crimes together. Call us at (303) 564-7313.