NYC Weapons Charges: What to Do When You’ve Been Caught with a Weapon Without Appropriate Licensing

As a New york city defense attorney I receive hundreds of calls each month from individuals who have been charged with weapon possession in New York.   Usually these types of charges are leveled at transplants or commuters who have a) no idea that such a prohibition exists, and b) the severity of the crime.  The Constitutionality of such laws can be argued back and forth, but as the laws of New York currently stand any possession of a firearm outside the process of arduous registration through appropriate licensing officer is illegal and punishable by fines and/or incarceration.   The licensing fees for handguns are extremely high and the application process expensive and lengthy.  These facts can be a deterrent to appropriate gun ownership, but considering the alternative if caught with a weapon it is wisest to follow the law to it letter.  Unlawful weapons possession is a serious offense in the eyes of the courts.

If, however, you were unfortunate enough to be charged with weapons possession charges you should contact an attorney right away.  It will be necessary to mitigate the offense through the same type of process it would have taken to obtain licensure in the first place.  This takes time, proving what an upstanding citizen you are, so waiting until two days before your court appearance isn’t the wisest choice you could make for yourself—especially if you are considering leaving your case in the hands of an already overworked staff at the public defenders or legal aid offices.  Our criminal lawyers routinely work through these types of cases to create a conclusion that does not include incarceration or a damaging indictment upon your personal record. 

Weapons possession charges are serious offenses in New York.  Finding the right NYC criminal lawyer is of vital importance to retaining your freedom.

NYC Criminal Attorneys Know that White Collar Crimes Are No Laughing Matter

New York criminal defense attorneys probably see more white collar crimes than any other these days as the rise of identity theft and computer crimes have proliferated court dockets all across Manhattan and the lower boroughs.    What was once considered to be crimes of lesser offense (in the public eye, at least) are beginning to be taken more seriously by the American public.  As public fears of having the sanctity of their personal identity threatened by nebulous beings from across the curtain of the Internet rises, so does that of law enforcement and judiciary branches.  In the past decade I’ve witnessed a rise in aggression on the part of law enforcement and justice agencies in regards to the tracking down and prosecution of white collar criminals.

Our firm has had a great track record in handling cases of this kind, but the amount of time and subject matter expertise that is involved in disproving allegations or mitigating evidence has substantially increased.  We have had to bring on permanent forensics staff in the computer crimes and identity theft areas to keep up with the amount of new clients in this area. 

Unfortunately, the accused will often be operating under the impression that due to their non-violent nature these charges are easily dismissed or that jail time can be avoided.  This is simply not the case due mostly to the fact that in the post 9-11 world computer crimes and identity crimes are considered issues of national security.  The same individual who can rob an identity to steal $500 out of a checking account could likewise use another person’s identity to purchase bomb-making supplies.  Many times we will receive clients after they’ve gone the legal aid or cheap attorney route and need to quickly step in to avoid extended jail time. 

Our NYC criminal attorneys and research staff work incredibly hard every day to avoid felony charges for our clients, many of whom take the blame for cyber criminals that are at the top of their game.  If you’ve been accused of a white collar crime such as fraud, computer crimes, ID theft, or embezzlement you must seek immediate support from an NYC defense attorney that specializes in white collar crime.