Rockville Gun Lawyer

Gun offenses in Rockville, Maryland are taken extremely seriously and can carry serious consequences including fines and jail time. As a result if you are facing any type of gun related charge it is important you take your charge seriously and consult with a Rockville gun lawyer as soon as possible. Call and schedule a consultation with a criminal attorney in Rockville today.

Advantages of Having a Rockville Gun Lawyer

One of the biggest issues people facing gun charges in Rockville find is that judges and prosecutors are extremely sympathetic and sensitive to gun cases. Many prosecutors, just as a standard practice, will often require that their office ask for a period of jail time even for first time offenders who are unlawfully transporting or carrying handguns. Most judges don’t agree that sending somebody to jail on a first time gun offense is appropriate, especially if it was somebody who was just irresponsibly carrying the gun, however, prosecutors and judges do have discretion and when it comes to determining what kind of sentences would be appropriate in a more serious gun type of situation, consequences can be severe.

For example a gun case where somebody with a felony conviction was in possession of a gun will likely carry very serious consequences. For these reasons it is important to consult with a Rockville gun lawyer as soon as possible so they can explain your options.

Common Examples of Gun Charges in Rockville

One example of gun or firearm offenses is transport of a hand gun unlawfully. This doesn’t always mean that a person is carrying the gun away from a crime scene or because of some covert illegal act. In fact, the most common type of gun offenses in Rockville are people who actually lawfully own a gun and who are transporting it back and forth from one place to another but just doing so unlawfully. This could mean they haven’t taken the proper precaution to store the gun properly in their car or to make sure that the gun was in a lock box.  A Rockville gun lawyer can explain more about how to legally transport a firearm to other places.
Gun offenses may also be serious felony level offenses. People might be in possession of the gun but are not lawfully in possession because they have been convicted of a felony or some other disqualifying crime. Someone might also use a gun while committing a crime of violence or while concealing some kind of a controlled dangerous substance which would result in possible mandatory minimum sentences. So gun charges can range from misdemeanors to felonies in Maryland depending on the facts of the case, and depending on how seriously that particular kind of case is being handled by the court.

Potential Penalties for a Firearm Offense

In Maryland, the illegal carrying of a gun is a misdemeanor offense. The penalties associated with this charge depend on whether the defendant had any prior convictions.

A first-time offender would be facing up to three years incarceration in addition to fines ranging from $250 to $2,500. A second conviction will result in one to ten years in jail. Anyone with three or more convictions must spend a minimum of three years in prison but could face up to ten years.

Additionally, if a firearm is used in the process of a violent crime or felony offense can add up to 20 years to a sentence.

A Rockville Gun Lawyer with Local Experience Can Help

Having a gun lawyer in Rockville to represent you in this kind of situation is important for a couple of reasons.  First, if this is strictly a question of sentencing, knowing which judges are not particularly sensitive to gun violations is important when trying for a less harsh sentence.
The other reason it is important to have an experienced Rockville gun lawyer is because guns are often discovered in situations where an individual was just going about their daily life and had an expectation of privacy.  For example, a gun might be found in a person’s bag, in their car or in their home. A Rockville gun attorney who understands the lawful rights that you have to not being unlawfully searched or seized is important and will give you the best chance of actually winning a gun related case. Call today to schedule a consultation.