Have you been charged with a weapons offense in Louisville, KY? Contact the experienced Louisville weapons charges attorneys at Suhre & Associates, LLC for immediate assistance. For decades, we’ve been fighting on behalf of our clients and working hard to safeguard their futures. We know that a strong defense can be the difference between jail time, probation, or even dropped charges. If you’ve been arrested for a weapons offense, we’ll do everything we can to protect you.
Contact our Louisville law office at (502) 371-7000 to schedule a free consultation with our skilled legal team. We’ll review your case, explain the situation, and do our best to answer any questions that you might have.
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The Benefits of Hiring a Suhre & Associates, LLC Defense Lawyer to Help You with Your Criminal Charges
As a US citizen, you are granted the right to bear arms by the Second Amendment of the Constitution of the United States. As such, if you have been placed under arrest by law enforcement on a weapons charge, you may be a little confused about what you did wrong.
Of course, confusion is unlikely to be your only emotion. You may also be feeling anxious about how your arrest will impact your future. Will you spend time in prison, receive a sizeable fine, or end up with a permanent criminal record?
If you would like to better understand your gun charges and begin taking steps to fight back against them, you will need the assistance of an experienced criminal defense attorney. You can find plenty of those at Suhre & Associates, LLC in Louisville, Kentucky.
Our experienced gun crime attorneys are dedicated to providing our clients with the best possible defense to their criminal charges. When you hire us to help you with your case, we will:
Explain Your Charges
When you are taken into custody, law enforcement will tell you the name of the crime that you are being charged with. However, they may not take the time to fully explain how your actions or your weapon were illegal.
Fortunately, your Suhre & Associates, LLC attorney will be by your side to provide you with the information you need. We will cut through the legalese and give you a full breakdown of your charges in plain English. By understanding what you have been accused of, you will be better equipped to fight back against it.
Guide You Through the Complex Kentucky Court System
To say that the Kentucky justice system is complicated and confusing would be a huge understatement. As such, if you wish to make it through your case without making any costly errors or missteps, you will need the help of a skilled lawyer.
Having worked within the Kentucky legal system for years, our attorneys are intimately familiar with all of its hazards, shortcuts, and loopholes. When you hire us, we will help you get through the process as seamlessly as possible.
Negotiate with the Prosecuting Attorney on Your Behalf
Shortly after you are taken into custody, the prosecuting attorney will almost certainly present you with a plea bargain. This deal is designed to get you to plead guilty to the criminal offense in exchange for a reduced sentence. As with most things in life, the specifics of their offer are open to negotiation.
Since our founding, our knowledgeable legal team has negotiated countless plea bargains with local prosecutors. As such, we understand how to convince them to improve their offers. When you work with us, we will do everything in our power to get you the best possible plea bargain agreement.
If you would like to have a Suhre & Associates, LLC attorney defend you against your gun charges, please do not hesitate to give us a call. We would be more than happy to set up a free consultation to discuss your case in more detail and provide you with more information about our services.
An Overview of Kentucky’s Gun Regulations
In Kentucky, citizens are automatically granted the right to open carry a weapon without a permit. Until Senate Bill 150 was passed in June 2019, individuals who wished to carry a weapon underneath their jacket or beneath the driver’s seat of their vehicle were required to obtain a concealed carry permit. This new legislation allows anyone over the age of 21, who is otherwise able to legally possess a firearm, to carry a concealed weapon without a license.
Different Rules Apply If You Have a Felony on Your Criminal Record
In the state of Kentucky, convicted felons do not have the same gun rights as an average resident. Under state law, they are not permitted to possess, manufacture, or transport any firearms.
Felons who wish to own a firearm can seek a pardon from the Governor of Kentucky or President of the United States. They may also opt to seek relief from the United States Secretary of the Treasury. If their request is granted, their gun rights will be restored and they will have the same ability to buy and possess a gun as any other Kentucky resident.
If you are a resident of the Louisville metro area and have questions about your rights and responsibilities as a gun owner in the state of Kentucky, please do not hesitate to reach out to the Suhre & Associates, LLC legal team. Our attorneys are always available to provide you with the information you require if you are facing charges.
Common Weapons Charges in the State of Kentucky
A wide variety of crimes are classified as weapons offenses in the state of Kentucky. Some of the most common include:
Illegal Possession of a Gun or Firearm
Section 527.040 of the Kentucky Revised Statutes states that convicted felons may not own or possess a weapon. Those who are caught with such a weapon will almost certainly face a felony charge of illegally possessing a gun or firearm.
Selling or Providing a Gun to a Felon
Section 237.070 of the Kentucky Revised Statutes makes it illegal for an individual to sell, gift, or otherwise provide a gun or firearm to a felon that is prohibited from owning or possessing it. This criminal offense is generally punishable as a Class A misdemeanor.
Defacing a Gun
Section 527.030 of the Kentucky Revised Statutes states that it is illegal to intentionally deface a firearm. This crime is most often charged when individuals file the serial number off of the weapon or otherwise make it difficult to identify. In the state of Kentucky, defacing a gun is punishable as a Class A misdemeanor.
Possessing a Gun on School Property
Section 527.070 of the Kentucky Revised Statutes prohibits the possession of firearms and other deadly weapons on the grounds of all K-12 schools. Individuals are also forbidden from carrying such weapons on school buses.
Some exceptions to this law include:
- Law enforcement officers
- Students who need to carry a firearm for a class, team, or club, and
- Nonstudent adults who leave the weapon in their vehicle and do not brandish it during the day.
Illegally possessing a firearm or deadly weapon on school property is usually punishable as a Class D felony.
Possession of a Handgun by a Minor
Section 527.100 of the Kentucky Revised Statutes states that individuals who are younger than 18 years of age may not possess a handgun, except under certain circumstances. Some of these circumstances include:
- When they are attending a gun safety course
- When they have a parent’s permission and are on private property, or
- When they are hunting.
Violations of this crime are punishable as a Class A misdemeanor in the state of Kentucky.
If you have been charged with any of the criminal offenses listed above, the Suhre & Associates, LLC team may be able to assist. Contact our Louisville law offices today to discuss your case in greater detail and learn more about how we can help you defend yourself.
Penalties for Weapons Offenses in Kentucky
Punishments for weapons convictions in the state of Kentucky can include:
- Imprisonment
- Fines
- Probation, and
- House arrest.
The severity of the punishment will depend on the seriousness of the crime that the convict has been found guilty of as well as their previous criminal history. Relatively minor crimes are likely to result in fairly lenient penalties. Meanwhile, more serious offenses will receive a stricter, longer sentence.
In determining the penalties to be doled out, the state of Kentucky also looks at the type of weapon that was used. The state punishes crimes that involve weapons classified as a “firearm” differently than ones involving “handguns.”
For the purposes of classification, the state defines a firearm as “any weapon which will expel a projectile by the action of an explosive.” A handgun, on the other hand, is defined as “any pistol or revolver originally designed to be fired by the use of a single hand, or any firearm originally designed to be fired by the use of a single hand.”
The Use of Weapons in Other Crimes
The state of Kentucky treats the use of a weapon during the commission of a crime extremely seriously. Individuals who are convicted of violent crimes (including murder), drug trafficking offenses, or theft crimes that involved the use of a firearm or handgun are likely to have their punishments increased.
If you have been charged with a weapons offense in Kentucky and would like to avoid the punishments listed above, please contact the experienced legal team at Suhre & Associates, LLC as soon as possible. We will meet with you, review your case, and help you devise an effective defense strategy.
Let Our Louisville Weapons Charges Attorneys Help You
The criminal defense lawyers at Suhre & Associates, LLC have been helping the people of Jefferson County fight back against state and federal gun charges for years. When you need us, our Louisville weapons charges lawyers will be there for you too. Visit our law office or contact us online to set up a free consultation with a member of our legal team.
Visit our Law Office in Louisville, Kentucky
Suhre & Associates, LLC
214 S Clay St A
Louisville, KY 40202
(502) 371-7000
