Firearms and other weapons are owned and used by Louisiana residents for many reasons. Some are used for hunting and other sports endeavors. Others are used as lawful means of self and home protection. However, in certain cases individuals may be suspected of using weapons to commit harm against others, and in those situations suspects can face criminal weapons offenses.
According to the Louisiana Revised Statutes, there are a variety of weapons crimes that a person could face that do not even involve firing a gun. For example, stealing a gun from another person is a crime, and so is providing a firearm to a person with a felony record. A person cannot carry a firearm unless he or she is legally authorized to do so, and a person also may not sell a firearm to an underage individual.
Trafficking in firearms is a crime, and so is using a firearm to threaten, coerce or harm another person. Even carrying firearms in certain places, such as near schools, is illegal under state law. With so many regulations regarding what people may do with their personal weaponry, it can sometimes be a challenge to always know what is permissible under the law.
Like so many other crimes, a weapons charge can carry with it serious criminal sanctions that can deprive a person of his or her freedom and rights. The long-term consequences of a weapons conviction can mean that a person may never own a weapon or firearm again. The punishment for such a conviction can range from fines to time in jail.
A person facing a weapons offense may always put up a vigorous defense when faced with criminal allegations. Defense strategies can exist in particular cases where the facts of the situation support them. A weapons charge can be damaging to a person’s life, but proper planning during the pretrial and trial phases of a criminal matter may present a person facing criminal charges with options on how to defend himself.