Prince George’s County Firearm Penalty Enhancements

Firearm offenses are serious offenses that can have serious consequences. Depending on the factors of the case, an individual could face even worse penalties. If you want to know more about Prince George’s County firearm penalty enhancements, speak with a knowledgeable attorney that has experience mitigating gun penalties.

What Characterizes a Penalty Enhancement?

There are no penalty enhancements regarding firearms charges. There are Maryland guidelines for handling penalties and they give a range or recommend a sentence to a judge of what is an appropriate sanction. Judges are not required to follow the guidelines and can go over or under it, but it is indicative of what judges typically do. Certain characteristics of a situation can lead them to go over the guidelines.

For example, if someone not permitted to have one possesses a handgun, but they have no record or a just a minimal one, the guidelines could say one to three years. If they have numerous prior charges or felonies, the guidelines could say two to four or three to five years. If an alleged victim is involved and got hurt, or the alleged victim is elderly, that can increase the penalties under the guidelines. All those things add points because every single violation is calculated. The higher the number of points, the heavier the guideline recommendation, and generally speaking, the heavier the punishment one could face.

Examples of Penalty Enhancements for Crimes Involving Firearms

Having an unregistered firearm is rarely an issue by itself. If the firearm was stolen and the seal number has been obliterated or scratched out so it was untraceable, those actions can lead to additional charges.

Distributing Firearms to Minors

When considering potential Prince George’s County firearm penalty enhancements, the courts may look at the purchaser as opposed to the alleged seller. The purchaser will have knowledge of the transaction, and it is more difficult to prove that the seller had the firearm and sold it. There are, however, certain penalties that can arise from non-proper conveyance, because a seller is required to do some form of due diligence to ensure the person who is purchasing a firearm is allowed to purchase it, and that includes a minor.

Potential Defenses for Firearm Offenses

There are a lot of defenses available to a person facing a firearms charge, beginning with the fact that often, things can be negotiated with the state. Certain charges can be agreed upon and the more serious charge dismissed. It could be argued that certain factors have been overstated by the prosecution and that the guidelines do not accurately reflect the nature of the case or the nature of the person’s history.

The Benefit of a Prince George’s County Firearm Lawyer

An attorney can always be helpful to a person facing gun charges, especially if they also face potential Prince George’s County firearm penalty enhancements. The lawyer could challenge the case, argue the facts, argue the law or be an advocate to weaken the state’s case, appear with the defendant at every court appearance, work towards getting a better result, and negotiate with the state over proper or appropriate issues.

Then, the attorney could negotiate with the state regarding inclusion or exclusion of certain factors that otherwise would create a heavier sentence for somebody. If an individual does face a gun charge, they should speak with a skilled lawyer who can help.