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Doylestown Lawyer for Firearm Possession and Gun Crimes

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    Being convicted of firearm possession or other gun crimes in Doylestown may have harsher penalties than you anticipated. Although you may not need a permit to own a gun in Pennsylvania, you do need one to conceal carry a firearm.

    Call us immediately if you are arrested for carrying a concealed gun without a permit, possessing a gun as a “prohibited person,” or using a gun in the commission of another crime. Even if officers arrest you due to a miscommunication, do not attempt to explain yourself to law enforcement without our assistance. Immediately invoke your right to remain silent and inform the officers that you refuse to speak to them without our presence.

    For a free case evaluation from our lawyers for firearm possession and gun crimes, call Kenny, Burns & McGill today at (215) 423-5500.

    Do I Need a Permit to Possess a Gun in Doylestown?

    You do not need a permit to possess a gun in Doylestown. You also do not need a permit to open carry a gun in public in Pennsylvania, unless you are deemed prohibited from owning a gun because of a previous felony conviction or for mental health reasons.

    If you are over 21 and legally permitted to own a firearm, you may not be arrested for open carrying a handgun in plain sight while you are in public and on foot in Doylestown. If you are 18 or older, you may legally carry and possess a rifle or shotgun without getting a permit first.

    Can I Be Arrested for Carrying a Concealed Gun without a Permit?

    You do need a permit to carry a concealed weapon in Doylestown. You must be 21 or older to be eligible, and may not be prohibited from owning a firearm because of a conviction or for other reasons.

    If you don’t have a License to Carry Firearms in Pennsylvania, you might be arrested for carrying a concealed firearm. If you did not know a firearm was in your possession, such as if it was in the trunk of a shared car and found during a traffic stop, tell our lawyers for firearm possession and gun crimes. After explaining the situation to law enforcement, we may be able to get the charges against you dropped.

    If you are arrested for carrying a concealed firearm without a permit in Pennsylvania, you can also be charged with a third-degree felony. If convicted, you would lose your right to own a firearm at all, since Pennsylvania prohibits convicted felons from doing so.

    Third-degree felony convictions carry prison sentences of up to seven years and fines of up to $15,000.

    Where Are Guns Prohibited in Doylestown?

    Guns are prohibited in certain locations in Pennsylvania. Even if you have a license to carry a concealed weapon, you might be arrested for doing so in any prohibited location.

    Weapons like handguns and other firearms are prohibited in the following places:

    • Schools
    • Court facilities
    • Detention and correctional facilities
    • Medical facilities
    • Airports
    • Government buildings
    • Public parks

    As a gun owner in Doylestown, you should know where you can and cannot bring a firearm to avoid potential arrest.

    What Should I Do if I am Arrested for a Gun Crime?

    If you are arrested for any weapons offense in Doylestown, whether it involves carrying a concealed firearm without a license or possessing a weapon on school property, contact our lawyers immediately. Don’t say anything to law enforcement, even if they try to provoke you,

    Invoke Your Right to Remain Silent

    The Fifth Amendment gives you the right to remain silent. Law enforcement officers should inform you of this when reading you your Miranda rights before a custodial interrogation. If you speak after law enforcement informs you of your right to remain silent, they can use anything you say during a trial.

    While you may want to explain that you lacked knowledge that the gun was in your possession, the gun in question does not belong to you, or give the police any other context they need, don’t. Law enforcement may act as though they are on your side when in reality, they are not.

    Invoke Your Right to an Attorney

    Police officers should also inform you of your right to an attorney. Contact us immediately. We can work on getting you released, explain the possible charges that may be filed against you, and prepare you for all the next steps.

    Our attorneys will advocate for you throughout the trial. We may be able to get evidence suppressed if police officers got it through an illegal search, so tell us everything you can remember about your arrest and how police obtained the firearm.

    Should I Accept a Plea Deal for Gun Crime Charges?

    When guns are used during the commission of another crime, such as robbery or assault, defendants face even harsher consequences. Fearful of those consequences, some defendants might urgently accept a plea deal, only to realize it does not benefit them at all after pleading guilty, even if they plead guilty to lesser charges.

    You should not automatically accept a plea deal offered by the prosecution. If the prosecution offers a plea right away, it means they may be uncertain about their ability to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt on more serious charges.

    Let us explain what a plea deal requires of you and what it means for the possible consequences you face. If you plead guilty to any charges, the judge can impose the maximum sentence for the charges, even if the prosecutor agreed to a specific prison sentence in exchange for the plea.

    Defendants should only agree to pleas our attorneys deem fair, and should not rush into accepting a plea deal for firearm possession or other gun crimes in Doylestown.

    Call Our Lawyers for Firearm Possession and Gun Crimes in Doylestown

    For a free case review from our lawyers for firearm possession and gun crimes, call Kenny, Burns & McGill at (215) 423-5500.

    Philadelphia Office
    1500 John F. Kennedy Boulevard
    Suite 520
    Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19102

    Kenny, Burns & McGill is located in Philadelphia, PA and serves clients in and around Philadelphia, Bala Cynwyd, Merion Station, Darby, Upper Darby, Sharon Hill, Wynnewood, Narberth, Clifton Heights, Folcroft, Lansdowne, Glenolden, Drexel Hill, Havertown, Cheltenham, Ardmore, Norwood, Holmes, Essington, Elkins Park, Prospect Park, Gladwyne, Delaware County, Montgomery County and Philadelphia County.