Firearm and Gun Offenses

The Second Amendment guarantees the right of Americans to own guns, but that right has become very regulated over the years as guns have become more advanced.  Colorado law has some very strict gun laws with onerous penalties, especially in urban areas.  In addition to Colorado state laws, there are many federal statutes that apply to the possession and use of firearms. Being charged with a state or federal firearms offense is a grave situation that can result in large fines, career damage, loss of your right to keep firearms in the future, and even jail time.

Guns are more than ever a polarizing issue in political society, and even responsible gun owners guilty of nothing more than an innocent registration error run the risk of being made an example of by law enforcement. If you have been charged with a gun related offense, it’s paramount to hire an attorney who knows the law and how to help you.

Possession of an Unlawful Firearm or Accessory

Federal and State law prohibits unlicensed possession of a machine gun (full auto), a short barreled rifle (barrel under 16 inches), a short barreled shotgun (barrel under 18 inches), suppressors/silencers, or “destructive devices” such as grenade launchers or bombs.  However, you may possess these items lawfully by submitting an application to ATF, the government regulatory department for Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms.  With a tax stamp of $200, thought prohibitively expensive in 1934 when the National Firearms Act was passed, items like these can be yours.  Attorney Walker Fults owns two suppressors, which are a safety accessory that protects gun owners’ hearing.  Be advised that if you want a machine gun, Congress froze the supply in 1986.  Legally purchased machine guns must come from this stock, which can run in the tens of thousands of dollars for a functioning Thompson or Uzi.  Check with your local gun range about renting 25 or 50 shots to experience how quickly a fully automatic weapon feeds through bullets, and remember to keep the gun from drifting up.

Possession by Unlawful Individual

Past experience with the criminal justice system can curtail your gun rights.  Those who are felons, convicted of domestic violence, fugitives, undocumented aliens, or subject to certain protective orders cannot legally possess firearms or ammunition.  If this applies to you, you probably already know.  If you have been charged with unlawful possession of a firearm, a strong criminal defense can work out the best possible result for your case.

Unlawful Carrying

Colorado regulates places and conditions in which you may carry a gun.  For example, carrying a firearm or other deadly weapon on any private or public school grounds is a felony, punishable by up to a year in prison.  (Certain exceptions apply, such as carrying an unloaded weapon in your vehicle on school property, or the firearm is inside your own dwelling place, or the gun is used in a lesson or class.)

Furthermore, it is unlawful to possess a firearm while intoxicated, or to possess a firearm if you are under the age of 18.  Colorado even specifically prohibits the use of a stun gun in the commission of another criminal offense, even if it was never fired.

Your Boulder Firearm and Gun Attorney

Walker Fults is a proud gun enthusiast, but more importantly, he knows the gun laws applicable to Colorado residents and how to defend them if charged under those laws.  Call now for a free consultation about your personal situation.