Alexandria Gun Lawyer

If you are charged with a gun-related offense, contact a criminal defense attorney in Alexandria to help you with your case. An experienced attorney knows the ins and outs of the criminal system and can advocate your rights in court.

Common Examples of Gun or Firearm Offenses in Alexandria

The following are some of the most common gun offenses in Alexandria, VA:

• Carrying a concealed weapon without a permit — This is a misdemeanor for the first offense, but it comes a felony upon second and subsequent offenses. To carry a concealed firearm in Virginia, you need a Concealed Weapons Permit. If you do not have one, and are caught with a concealed weapon, police will charge you with that offense.

• Possession of a firearm by a convicted felon — This is a felony offense that requires mandatory minimum jail time if convicted. This is an offense charged when someone has been convicted of the felony, no longer has the right to possess a fireman, but does so.

• The use of a firearm in the commission of a felony — It is also a felony offense with mandatory minimum jail sentences, and is charged and punished separately from the underlying felony.  For example, if someone commits a robbery, that is a felony in and of itself. If they do so with a gun, they can be charged with robbery and with use of a firearm in the commission of a felony. Those will be handled as separate offenses with separate punishments.

So, despite Virginia having a reputation as a gun-friendly state, there are still certain laws that any gun owner should be aware of and therefore, if charged with a firearm offense you should contact an Alexandria gun lawyer immediately to discuss your options.

Transporting Your Firearm or Gun in Alexandria

If an individual is transporting their firearm to Alexandria, they need to make sure they’re properly licensed to carry the firearm in the manner in which they are carrying it. Make sure that the gun is properly stored and make sure to have appropriate licensing.

If an individual is carrying it concealed on his or her person or in their vehicle, they must have a Concealed Weapons Permit or they are committing a crime. If an individual is a felon in possession of a weapon, even if they’re just transporting it through Alexandria, if caught, they will be charged with a felony offense. So, a person must be very careful about transporting a firearm through Virginia and particularly through Alexandria, where firearm offenses are treated very seriously. Talk to your gun attorney if you are unsure of gun-related laws in Virginia.

Prosecution of Gun Offenses in Alexandria

The prosecutors in Alexandria treat gun offenses very seriously. They treat them perhaps differently than some other areas in Virginia because it is so close to Washington DC and it’s such an urban and developed area. Because there are less hunters in Alexandria and because it’s so urban and developed, those offenses are more rare, and the attitude towards firearms, even by law enforcement, is very serious. And prosecutors treat these charges seriously as well. Because it is an urban area, the need for guns is less than in a rural area and guns are more commonly associated with violence against other people, rather than a necessity for life. Because of that concern, prosecutors treat these charges very seriously and try to punish the perpetrators of these offenses to deter others from violating these laws. Contacting an Alexandria gun lawyer is in your best interest when facing a gun offense charge.

Benefits of Having an Aggressive Alexandria Gun Lawyer

Having an aggressive Alexandria gun lawyer can only help your case. They know the courthouse. They know the procedure. They know the people in the courthouse including the judges, the prosecutors, and the police.  They know the laws that apply to your case and can use those laws to set up a proper defense. They know what defenses work and which don’t. And they know how the Fourth amendment applies to the search that led to the police discovery of the weapon, and if the police acted outside of the scope of that law, they can attack the Constitutionality of the search, which in turn will lead to suppression of the gun in question. An aggressive Alexandria gun lawyer will put you in a best possible position to have a successful outcome at court.