Gun Charges in California and Weapons Violations
Being charged with the use of a firearm in the commission of a crime or simply possession of a weapon that the state deems illegal (such as nunchukas, swords, brass knuckles or other martial arts or self-defense items) is a serious offense. Luckily, at Leib Law, we have over 20 years of experience defending individuals in Los Angeles and all over Southern California (including Ventura County, Orange County, San Diego County, San Bernardino and Riverside Counties) charged with these types of gun and weapons related charges. These charges can include the following:
Use of a Firearm in the Commission of a Crime
Did you know that the law may require a mandatory prison sentence and for a longer period of time if you are charged with the commission of a crime while using a gun. For this reason, you need a competent, aggressive criminal defense attorney to represent you in this situation. Experienced criminal defense attorney, Daniel Leib, has represented numerous individuals charged with gun crimes. He knows how to persuade the judge and district attorney when such charges should be dismissed or when an individual deserves a reduction in sentence due to the particular circumstances of his case. Only an experienced defense attorney like him can make the proper arguments to the judge and district attorney to help you avoid jail and prison time!
Ex-Felon Possession of a Firearm
If you have a felony conviction in your past and, even if you have been charged with a minor offense and the police searched your home or vehicle to find a gun, you may be charged with “Ex-Felon with a Firearm, or other Weapon”. This happens even if the felony was a youthful indiscretion or long-forgotten offense and even if the possession of the gun was for hunting, sport or other innocent purpose. It is extremely important to make the right legal maneuvers to avoid a conviction for this offense as it may, again, mandate prison time. At the Los Angeles and Southern California criminal defense law firm of Leib Law, we have extensive experience in filing motions to expunge past felonies or reduce them to misdemeanors and aggressively setting out any and all extenuating circumstances that put the defendant in the most favorable light to avoid such convictions.
Carrying a Loaded Firearm in a Vehicle or Concealed on Your Person
It is illegal in California to carry a loaded firearm concealed on your person or in your vehicle without a permit to do so. If you are stopped even for a routine traffic stop and the police search you or your vehicle and find a concealed firearm, this can be charged as a felony or serious misdemeanor. We are very experienced at defending these types of charges in the Los Angeles and Southern California areas. We can file motions to suppress illegal searches and seizures and/or make the proper arguments to dismiss or reduce these charges so that you can avoid jail or prison time.
Unlawful Sale of a Firearm
It can be illegal in California for any person to sell a firearm without a proper permit to do so. This is especially true of certain types of banned firearms such as machine guns and assault weapons. Again, the laws regarding sale of firearms differ from state to state and California is and continues to be one of the more restrictive states in this area. We are experienced at defending these charges in California and protecting your rights.
Other Weapons Offenses
Many persons come to California with weapons, such as martial arts or other self defense items that they have bought from another state or country, only to find out that these weapons are illegal in California. The following are just a few examples of weapons it is illegal to possess in California: sawed-off or short barreled shotgun; sawed-off or short barreled rifle; cane gun; wallet gun; zip gun; multi-burst trigger activator; any bullet containing an explosive agent or armor-piercing bullets; a “dirk or dagger” (defined as any sharp instrument with a certain blade length); nunchaku; metal or hard plastic knuckles; ballistic knives; shuriken; kubaton; belt buckle knives; lipstick knives; pen knives; hand grenades; a large capacity magazine for an automatic weapon; assault weapons including machine guns and other automatic rifles such as AK-47s; M-16s, etc.; silencers for any firearm; flamethrowers and other weapons. Mere possession of any of these can be charged as a felony or serious misdemeanor with a jail or prison sentence. It is very important to retain an aggressive and competent criminal defense team like the Los Angeles and Southern California weapons defense attorneys of Leib Law to combat these charges.
Read more about gun charges in the following blog posts:
- Gun Laws in California: Effect of Recent 9th Circuit Case
- Crimes Related to Discharging a Firearm in California
IF YOU OR SOMEONE YOU KNOW IS CURRENTLY CHARGED WITH A GUN OR OTHER WEAPONS CHARGE IN LOS ANGELES, SAN DIEGO, VENTURA, ORANGE, SAN BERNARDINO OR RIVERSIDE COUNTY, CONTACT THE SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA GUN AND WEAPONS ATTORNEYS OF Leib Law.