Cleveland Weapon Charges Lawyer

Charged with a Gun or Weapons Offense in Ohio?

Weapons charges put serious penalties and prison time on the table. If you or someone you love has been charged with a state or federal weapons offense, the time to talk with a defense attorney is now. 

At Patituce & Associates, we defend clients statewide in serious criminal cases. 

Our Cleveland weapon crime defense attorneys have decades of combined experience and:

• Have handled more than 20,000 criminal cases
• Have taken 400+ cases to trial, with a 95% success rate
• Are led by a Board Certified Criminal Trial Attorney, one of only 8 in Ohio
• Are former prosecutors who know weapons cases
• Are backed by hundreds of 5-star client reviews

Proven Results in Weapon-Related Cases

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Call us today at (440) 771-1175 for a free consultation. We’re available 24/7.

How Weapons Charges Work in Ohio

Weapon crimes come in a variety of forms at the state and federal levels. On a state level, a firearm specification can be attached to virtually any type of crime. A weapon can add 1, 3, 5, 6, or 7 years onto what would normally be an offense requiring probation. The weapon itself may carry its own special charge and count.

As former prosecutors, we can tell you how seriously and aggressively the government takes weapon crimes and the charges that come with them. Our clients face weapons charges in both state and federal court.

Often, weapons charges come with other types of crimes:

• Drug crimes
• Murders
• Sex crimes

There are really just two different types:

• Crimes for having weapons (e.g., assault rifles)
• Crimes for using a weapon during the commission of a crime

In state offenses, the use of a weapon can add years, and even decades, of prison time to a criminal charge.

For instance, if you are accused of trafficking cocaine but you have a firearm on you, the police can try to add on three additional years that are not probationable to your case. If you’re accused of firing at someone from a vehicle, you could be looking at an additional eight years. There are many other scenarios, but the time adds up quickly.

Firearm Specifications and Enhancements

A firearm specification is not a standalone charge. It is an enhancement attached to another offense that adds mandatory, non-probationable prison time on top of the base sentence. Specifications cannot be suspended or served concurrently in most circumstances. They run before and consecutive to whatever sentence the underlying offense carries.

Ohio's firearm specifications apply the following mandatory add-on terms:

• 1 year — Offender had a firearm on or about their person or under their control during the offense
• 3 years — Offender displayed, brandished, indicated possession of, or used a firearm to facilitate the offense
• 5 years — Firearm was automatic, sawed-off, or equipped with a silencer
• 6 years — Offender discharged a firearm from a motor vehicle
• 7 years — Offender discharged a firearm and caused serious physical harm or death

The practical impact is significant. Challenging a specification requires attacking the factual basis for the enhancement itself, including whether the defendant actually had a firearm, whether it was used to facilitate the offense, whether it was discharged, and whether the State's evidence on each point survives scrutiny.

Penalties and Collateral Consequences

Weapons charges can range from misdemeanors to high-level felonies, depending on the statute and facts. Even misdemeanor convictions can create long-term consequences: firearm restrictions, forfeiture exposure, probation terms, employment and licensing problems, and immigration consequences in some cases.

At Patituce & Associates, We Refuse to Lose

If you’re being investigated or charged with a state or federal weapons offense, get defense counsel involved early. Our attorneys at Patituce & Associates represent clients statewide and are available 24/7.

Contact our weapon crime defense lawyers in Cleveland at (440) 771-1175 for a free consultation.