Don’t Point that Unloaded Gun in Georgia

Weapons Charges You Should Know About

In Georgia, if you point an unloaded gun at another person, you can be charged with a criminal offense. Whether loaded or unloaded, you face the prospect of being charged with a misdemeanor carrying a sentence of up to one year of incarceration and a fine of up to $1,000. You also cannot carry a pistol without a license. If you are found doing so, you face a misdemeanor charge that could land you in jail for up to one year along with fines up to $1,000 on a first offense. Subsequent offenses are punished more severely, charged as felonies, carrying a potential prison sentence of one to five years. In Georgia, once you have been convicted of a felony, you are prohibited from owning or possessing guns. If you violate this, you face a new felony charge.

Many types of weapon charges exist under Georgia law. Weapons are defined as firearms, knives, metal knuckles, or any object which could be used as a weapon. Weapons which are completely banned from use in the state include machine guns, sawed-off shotguns and rifles, and silencers. Penalties for convictions of owning or using these types of weapons include prison terms of one to five years. Dangerous weapons are also banned; these include military-type weapons such as rocket launchers, hand grenades, and weapons which fire mortars and explosives.

Concealed Weapons and Forcible Felonies

Under Georgia law, if you use a weapon in the commission of another crime, such as robbery, where you threaten the use of force or violence, you may be charged with a forcible felony. You may also be charged with a misdemeanor on a first offense if you are found carrying a concealed weapon. Subsequent convictions of a concealed weapon will be charged as a felony punishable by two to five years in prison.

If you are facing any type of weapons charge in Atlanta, you owe it to yourself to retain the services of a highly-qualified Atlanta criminal defense attorney who has the legal abilities and resources to fully defend you. Atlanta attorney Matthew T. McNally has more than a decade of experience providing comprehensive and aggressive legal representation for those facing these types of criminal charges. Your first order of business should be to contact his firm to get a case assessment and find out how she can help you.

Contact Atlanta criminal defense lawyer Matthew T. McNally if you are facing weapons charges anywhere in the Atlanta metropolitan area today.