Unlawful Weapons Charges

Carrying weapons that are considered dangerous or illegal without proper licensing is a serious criminal offense. There are many subtleties to the laws regarding which weapons are illegal and the penalties associated with an unlawful weapons charge.

In many states, the location in which the person was found with the weapon plays an important role in deciding what sort of consequences may result. The type of weapon and the amount of weapons or ammunition in question will also be important in deciding a penalty. If the individual is found with an unlawful weapon in an establishment that has a license to sell alcohol, the crime can change from a misdemeanor to a felony.

Some weapons that are frequently considered to be illegal include the following:

Firearms, handguns, machine guns- any weapon designed to expel a bullet or other such item

Club- an item intended to inflict bodily harm when another is struck by it.

Explosive weapon- bomb, grenade, rocket, mine, or other homemade device intended to explode

Illegal knife- any knife with a double edged blade, a blade longer than five and a half inches. This also includes spears, swords, and other instruments that may be used to harm others.

Knuckles- an instrument that is created to wrap the fingers or knuckles in metal and strengthen the force of blows.

Chemical dispensing device- any device that holds and dispenses a dangerous chemical in a manner that may harm another.

Firearm silencer- a device intended to muffle the sound of a firearm

Hoax bombs or other items intended to scare others