People face serious penalties in Missouri for gun crime convictions. The situation can be even worse if the defendant has any prior felony convictions or is accused of using a firearm in the commission of another crime. Additionally, being convicted of a weapons crime now could have an effect on sentencing if you are ever convicted of a crime in the future.
Consider the case of a St. Louis teenager who was accused of bringing a handgun to school. Recently in court, prosecutors showed a picture of the 19-year-old holding two handguns. The picture had been posted to social media with a caption that allegedly urged others to bring guns to a local high school sporting event.
According to prosecutors, a security guard at the school saw the teen trying to hide a Glock handgun in a sand pile. The sand pile, said prosecutors, was a place where students “typically” hid illegal items.
The teen was charged with a gun crime.
This wasn’t the young man’s first run-in with police. He was previously charged with a felony in connection with a stolen car and was placed on probation. He was still on probation when he was charged with a gun offense, and at a recent sentencing hearing, he was sentenced to four years in prison.
If you have been charged with a weapons offense, then contact an experienced criminal defense attorney as soon as possible. Too much is at stake to let the prosecution simply have its way. Police and prosecutors make mistakes, and a defense lawyer can scrutinize the evidence against you and fight to protect your rights and freedom.
