If you have questions involving common Fredericksburg gun offenses, consider reaching out to a skilled defense attorney who can inform you of your rights when accused of committing a crime. Some of the most common Fredericksburg gun offenses involve one’s status as a carrier as well as their actions performed while handling a firearm. Read on to learn more about the rules and regulations involved in common Fredericksburg gun offenses, as well as the ways a professional defense attorney can protect your rights.
Many common Fredericksburg gun offenses involve status offenses. A status offense is an action prohibited by specific individuals because of their particular background. They are barred from possessing firearms in the Commonwealth of Virginia. This group could include individuals with felony convictions, prior convictions for crimes of violence, defendants under a protective order, or someone convicted of a crime of domestic violence. It also includes those who were involuntarily or voluntarily committed to a mental hospital. They are prohibited from possessing, buying, or otherwise having a firearm about them.
If someone is caught with a firearm or is trying to buy a firearm, that offense alone can be a serious felony offense. That is the most common scenario for a gun crime in Fredericksburg. An individual who is prohibited from possessing or purchasing a firearm and attempts to do so puts themselves in a status offense and would be facing a felony charge.
In addition, other common Fredericksburg gun offenses can involve action offenses as well. Examples of common action offenses involving firearms could include the concealed carry of a firearm when the individual does not have a permit to do so, holding or brandishing a firearm, or the reckless discharge of a firearm. These offenses may be considered either a misdemeanor or a felony depending on the specific facts and circumstances surrounding them.
The best resource for information about transporting firearms across state lines can be found at the Virginia State Police website. Different states have different rules, so it is important that anyone transporting a firearm across state lines is cognizant of all the rules for each state they travel. For example, if someone is traveling down I-95 through the heart of Fredericksburg, they should pay attention because there may be different rules for firearm ownership, possession, and proper storage if they traveling through Washington, DC, Maryland, North Carolina, Georgia, and so on.
There are also statutory considerations for transporting a firearm safely in Fredericksburg. Fredericksburg, like the Commonwealth of Virginia, follows the Code of Virginia which has specific restrictions concerning what is and is not a concealed weapon. Virginia allows open carry. That means a qualified individual can openly carry a firearm even without a concealed carry permit. There are certain statutory requirements for open carry and for concealed carry and how they pertain to firearms, especially in the case of firearms in motor vehicles. There are requirements for the proper storing of firearms in a vehicle for the safety of those in and around the vehicle as well.
In order to learn more about how to avoid committing these common Fredericksburg gun offenses, reach out to a dedicated defense lawyer today for your representation.
Northern Virginia Criminal Defense Group
