Voluntary Surrender of Firearms in Colonial Heights
Voluntary surrender of guns is when one freely gives up a firearm to the police. Often, the main reason for voluntarily surrendering your firearm is as part of a plea agreement, which may lead to a dismissal of the charge or a reduction of the charge. If you have a firearm that you want to surrender or think it may help with a plea bargain, contact an experienced gun lawyer. An attorney may be able to help with your voluntary surrender of firearms in Colonial Heights.
How a Voluntary Surrender Could Mitigate Charges
When a person voluntarily surrenders their firearm, it shows the Commonwealth that they are not tied to the gun nor are they a threat or a violent individual. Voluntary surrender may help persuade the Commonwealth’s prosecutors that their firearm was merely an exercise of their Second Amendment right instead of a reason to consider them a dangerous individual. In a surrender of guns, the Commonwealth may drop or adjust the sentence for firearms charges.
The Process of Voluntarily Turning in a Gun
There is no law in Virginia requiring individuals to register a firearm, so there are no penalties to giving up an unregistered gun. If someone no longer wants their unregistered firearm, they can simply turn it over to the Virginia State Police. When voluntarily surrendering a firearm, the surrendering party should include all ammunition, magazines, or other corresponding equipment with their submission of the firearm.
A person can dispose of a gun at any Virginia State Police Station or Sheriff’s Department if they call ahead and let them know. Carrying a firearm into a police station unannounced may result in gun charges, arrest, or intervention from the officers there. Giving prior notice about bringing a firearm into the station may avoid these issues. There is no charge to individuals who surrender a firearm to the police in Virginia.
Ammunition Surrender
The surrender of unwanted ammunition is the same as giving up a firearm. The individual must contact the law enforcement agency of their choice and notify them of their intent. They will then receive instruction from that agency on how the specific logistics of their situation.
Issues to Remember When Surrendering
Before voluntarily surrendering a firearm in Colonial Heights, make sure that it is in proper working order and that there will be no issues identifying the firearm. An individual should not turn in a firearm if they do not know where it came from.
If a firearm is of an unknown origin, it is critical to notify the police of that fact before turning it in. Additionally, if a gun has been found somewhere, it is best not to touch it at all, but rather notify the police of its location and let authorities handle it. Tampering with it may impede the collection of evidence around the firearm if it was used in a crime or place the persons fingerprints on that gun.
Finally, it is crucial to ensure that the firearm still has its serial number on it. Possessing or even turning in a firearm without a serial number is a federal crime that will be dealt with by the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms (ATF).
Call a Firearms Attorney For More Information
If you want to turn in a firearm, but are unsure of the process, worried about repercussions, or want to use the surrender as a bargaining chip for sentencing mitigation, call a lawyer immediately. A skilled gun attorney may be able to inform you of your rights and advise you on the best course of action during the voluntary surrender of firearms in Colonial Heights. Call today to learn more about your legal options.
