Depending on your weapons-related charges in Colorado Springs, you may face significant penalties, such as prison time, fines, and the stigma of a permanent criminal record that can appear in background checks for housing or employment.
Don’t make the mistake of going up against the legal system alone. Instead, contact Peakstone Law Group and get help from our experienced, tenacious Colorado Springs weapon violations lawyers. The consultation is free and confidential.
Understanding Weapon Violations in Colorado
Colorado’s criminal laws make various activities involving weapons criminal offenses. At Peakstone Law Group, our Colorado Springs criminal defense lawyers can assist you with resolving charges involving offenses such as:
- Illegal possession of a defaced firearm (C.R.S. §18-12-103) – The law prohibits knowingly and unlawfully possessing a firearm with a removed, defaced, altered, or destroyed serial number or identifying mark (unless such alteration occurs through normal wear and tear).
- Defacing a firearm (C.R.S. §18-12-104) – A person commits a criminal offense by knowingly removing, defacing, altering, covering, or destroying any distinguishing number or mark on a firearm.
- Unlawfully carrying a concealed weapon (C.R.S. §18-12-105) – A person commits a crime if they carry a concealed knife or firearm (except on their property or in a private vehicle) without a concealed carry license or unlawfully carry an explosive, incendiary, or dangerous device into the Colorado legislature.
- Prohibited use of weapons (C.R.S. §18-12-106) – Prohibited uses of weapons in Colorado include knowingly and unlawfully aiming firearms at other people, recklessly or negligently discharging a firearm or bow and arrow, setting up a loaded trap gun, or possessing a firearm while intoxicated.
- Illegal discharge of a firearm (C.R.S. §18-12-107.5) – A person commits an offense if they knowingly or recklessly discharge a firearm into a building, dwelling, occupied structure, or occupied motor vehicle.
- Illegal possession of a weapon by a previous offender (C.R.S. §18-12-108) – Colorado law prohibits individuals previously convicted of felonies under state or federal law from possessing firearms or other regulated weapons.
- Unlawfully providing a firearm to a juvenile (C.R.S. §18-12-108.7) – A person commits a crime if they intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly furnish a firearm to a juvenile, including when the person knows of a substantial risk that the juvenile will use the firearm to commit a felony.
Penalties for Weapon Violations in Colorado Springs
Penalties for weapons convictions in Colorado Springs can depend on the grading of an offense and other factors in a convicted defendant’s case, such as a defendant’s criminal history or aggravating and mitigating factors. Colorado grades weapons violations as Class 1 or 2 misdemeanor offenses or Class 4 or 5 felonies. Penalties for felony weapons violations include:
- Class 4 felony – Two to six years in prison, a fine of $2,000 to $500,000, and mandatory three years of parole
- Class 5 felony – One to three years in prison, a fine of $1,000 to $100,000, and a mandatory two years of parole
Penalties for misdemeanor weapons violations include:
- Class 1 misdemeanor – Six to 18 months of incarceration, a fine of $500 to $5,000, or both incarceration and a fine
- Class 2 misdemeanor – Three months to 364 days of incarceration, a fine of $250 to $1,000, or both incarceration and a fine
Potential Defenses Against Weapon Violation Charges
Depending on the facts and circumstances of your case, you may have potential defense strategies our attorneys could pursue to fight your weapons violation charges. Common factual and strong legal defenses used in weapons cases include:
- Unlawful search and seizure process – Defendants may seek to exclude evidence about the deadly weapon from the prosecution’s case by arguing that police conducted an unlawful search.
- Lawful possession – A defendant charged with unlawfully possessing a firearm may present evidence to prove they lawfully possessed the weapon, such as evidence disproving that they had a prior felony conviction or other legal disability from possessing a firearm or a copy of a firearm or concealed carry permit.
- Lack of possession – Defendants may argue that the prosecution’s case fails to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that they had actual or constructive possession of an illegal or dangerous weapon.
- Mistaken identity – In cases involving alleged unlawful use of firearms, a defendant may argue that witnesses or the police mistakenly identified them as the perpetrator.
How a Colorado Springs Weapon Violations Lawyer Can Help
The Colorado weapon violation lawyers at Peakstone Law Group can help you fight dangerous or illegal weapon charges in Colorado Springs by:
- Independently investigating your charges to recover all available evidence
- Reviewing the facts of your case to identify potential legal strategies
- Ensuring you understand your charges and the possible outcomes to help you make informed decisions at each stage of your case
- Contesting all aspects of the prosecution’s case, including seeking to exclude unlawfully obtained evidence or challenge the sufficiency of the prosecution’s case to go to trial
- Pursuing every avenue to secure the best possible outcome to your charges, even when that means going to trial
What to Do If You Are Charged with a Weapon Violation
Steps to take after an arrest for a weapons violation charge in Colorado Springs include:
- Exercise your right to remain silent by declining to answer the police’s questions or to provide a statement about your charges.
- Ask to speak with a criminal defense lawyer as soon as possible about your weapons charges.
- Contact our Colorado weapons violation lawyers to discuss your options for defending yourself against firearms charges in Colorado Springs.
- Start gathering evidence after your release following an arrest that can help with your defense, such as copies of firearms permits or alibi evidence.
Choosing the Right Weapons Violations Defense Lawyer for Your Case
Weapons violations can expose you to significant criminal penalties and put your reputation, freedom, and future at risk. As such, your choice of experienced legal representation is one of the most critical decisions in your criminal case.
Choose the experienced criminal defense attorneys at Peakstone Law Group to guide you through the criminal justice system. Our firm has over 40 years of combined legal experience and a proven record of success in thousands of criminal cases. Our dedication to positive results has earned us a 100 percent client satisfaction rate. As one of our past clients wrote of our firm:
“Patterson represented me in another county and made sure to get me the best deal possible due to my unfortunate circumstances. I was able to get a deferred sentence which is pretty much unheard of in cases like mine and I’m forever grateful to him.” – Jillian
Contact Peakstone Law Group today for a free consultation with our Colorado weapons violation lawyers to discuss your options for seeking a favorable resolution to your case.