Common Gun Charges in Virginia Beach

Gun charges are treated very seriously in Virginia Beach. They are regulated and considered very dangerous. The most common gun charges in Virginia Beach would be possession of a concealed weapon, in which someone has a weapon on their person or their car without the proper permit. If someone diffuses the firearm, that would be considered an additional felony charge to the concealment offense.

There are some hunting spots in some of the more rural parts of this area. Hunting typically takes place South and further West in Virginia. It is common for people to transport their firearms. They may not have it underneath the seat and not realize that is possession of a concealed weapon. A distinguished gun lawyer can advise you of your rights if you are facing firearm charges.

Local Concealment Ordinances

There are not any specific Virginia Beach ordinances in relation to common gun charges in Virginia Beach. Virginia is an open carry state, meaning if a person is eligible to have a firearm, the person can carry a firearm on their person with some restrictions in certain areas where it is not allowed. But, the person is not allowed to have a concealed weapon on them unless they have a permit.

Repercussions of Carrying a Concealed Weapon

Virginia Beach prosecutors tend to treat common gun charges in Virginia Beach very seriously because of the danger the guns pose. The prosecutors are very concerned when people are using guns in other cases.

Possession of a concealed weapon is a Class One misdemeanor, so it carries up to 12 months in jail. With regards to other felonies, oftentimes the use of a firearm in the commission of a felony carries up to five years in prison, but those have mandatory minimum jail times of three years. With that, the court has to give the person other charges, like possession of a gun while in the possession of illegal drugs, which is a misdemeanor of two years in prison.

In terms of long-term repercussions, if a person is convicted of a gun offense the person is not eligible to possess a firearm or get a concealed weapons permit later. If a person is convicted of a felony gun charge, the person loses their right to possess a firearm down the road and it is something the person has to disclose.

Advantages of an Attorney

An aggressive lawyer can often get in front of a case by knowing exactly what the Commonwealth can prove in the charge, possibly head off very serious charges, and work with the person by being able to talk to law enforcement and see if arrangements can be made so that the person does not get charged with a more serious crime.

A private attorney is going to be able to dedicate more time to the person’s case and be able to dedicate more attention. When a person hires a skilled Virginia Beach attorney to face their drug charges they often have more investigative resources. With more resources available, they can investigate it more fully and may be able to uncover evidence or information that a court-appointed lawyer or a non-lawyer could not find.