Arizona Weapons Charge

According to a recent Arizona law, you can carry a concealed firearm without a permit. Governor Jan Brewer signed Senate Bill 1108 into law in the summer of 2010. Now U.S. citizens who are 21-years-old or older can carry a concealed firearm without having to apply for a permit in Arizona. However, if you use that concealed firearm or another dangerous instrument with the purpose of causing harm or damage, you could be charged with an Arizona weapons charge.

The definitions relating to weapons charges can be found in Arizona Revised Statutes § 13-105 (12) and (15).  Under the law, a dangerous instrument can be “anything that under the circumstances in which it is used, attempted to be used or threatened to be used is readily capable of causing death or serious physical injury.” A deadly weapon is defined a little differently. It is basically something that is “designed for lethal use,” of which a firearm is a prime example.

Understanding the Arizona Weapons Charge

Any of the following activities involving weapons could lead a criminal offense:

• Discharging a firearm illegally
• Possessing a stolen weapon
• Possessing an illegal weapon
• Using a weapon to commit a crime
• Assaulting someone with a deadly weapon
• Committing a drive-by shooting
• Violating parole by possessing a firearm

The prosecution will not go easy on you if they believe you have committed a criminal offense involving a weapon. You could be facing a jail or prison sentence. The consequences could be even worse if someone was injured.

Before you do anything regarding the accusations against you, contact a Phoenix criminal defense lawyer. You need a qualified and experienced attorney on your side who will defend you against the allegations.