When people use a weapon during the commission of another crime - they are putting the health and safety of others at risk.
For this reason, crimes that are committed with a weapon incur severe and lasting penalties for the accused.
These penalties are called "sentence enhancements" which are in addition the person's original sentence.
Weapons offenses are frequently charged in conjunction to other crimes such as robbery, burglary, drug crimes, kidnapping and sex crimes.
For example, possessing a handgun while robbing a convenient store will have a significant effect on a person's sentence than if they hadn't used a weapon during the robbery.
In fact, it is not necessary to discharge a weapon in order to face sentence enhancements.
Simply displaying a weapon in order to instill fear would suffice.
Weapons charges cover a vast array of offenses.
A person can be penalized for carrying a concealed weapon without a permit or they can get in trouble for committing an aggravated assault with the use of a deadly weapon such as a gun, knife or hammer.
The term "deadly weapon" is a catch all phrase that encompasses all sorts of weapons that can be used to inflict great bodily harm or death.
Weapons offenses can include felon in possession, the failure to register a weapon or even selling drugs while one is carrying a gun on their person.
In essence, having the presence of a firearm during the commission of any crime will significantly heighten the penalties that a suspect faces.
Since most gun offenses are prosecuted as felonies, you will need an experienced criminal defense attorney who knows how to defend a weapons violation case.
A qualified attorney will be able to carefully analyze each aspect of your case.
They will know how to look for any procedural errors or police misconduct.
Fortunately, there are a number of defenses for weapon-related offenses, including showing that the gun did not belong to you, or that you didn't know that it was nearby.
A criminal defense lawyer will be familiar with your legal rights and the laws relating to illegal search and seizure.
With this type of assistance on your side, you can rest more easily knowing that your rights will be protected by an advocate of the law.
Since certain weapons offenses carry mandatory sentencing, you can't afford to proceed without a private attorney who is invested in protecting your rights.