Wheaton, Illinois Weapons Charges Lawyer

Gun Crimes Defense in DuPage County, Kane County, Will County, and Chicago

Recent significant changes to Illinois law have granted citizens the Right to Carry—with a valid Firearms Owner’s Identification Card, a citizen can apply for a concealed carry permit. However, the passage of the new laws has brought with it confusion regarding when and where you are allowed to carry a firearm in Illinois. If you have been caught up in this confusion and are now facing weapons charges, you need an experienced criminal attorney that understands the new laws and what it will take to secure a positive outcome in your case.

Attorney Stacey A. McCullough represents clients faced with weapons charges and gun crimes in DuPage County, Kane County, Cook County, and surrounding Chicagoland communities. Stacey has two decades of experience aggressively defending clients and protecting their Constitutional Rights. She will fight for you at each and every step of the proceeding, from negotiation through trial, in hopes of exonerating you of the charge.

Illinois Weapons Laws

In Illinois, guns, certain types of knives, razors, clubs, and even broken glass can all be considered weapons. Whether an object is classified as a weapon depends on both the purpose for manufacturing the object and the intention of the person in possession of it. Weapons charges may take a variety of forms, including:

• Unlawful Possession
• Unlawful Carrying
• Unlawful Manufacturing
• Unlawful Selling

To lawfully possess and carry a firearm, a citizen must be in compliance with the Illinois Firearm Owner’s Identification Card Act. To own a firearm, citizens must have a Firearm Owners Identification (FOID) card issued by the Illinois State Police. It is unlawful to carry or possess any firearm in a car or on you, except on your own land or business, unless you have an Illinois Concealed Carry License. The Illinois State Police processes applications and issues Concealed Carry Licenses under the new Illinois Firearm Concealed Carry Act. While gun owners now enjoy greater freedom to carry their firearms while on-the-go, there are several restrictions that may cause them to break the law without even knowing it. These include carrying a firearm in:

• Public Parks
• Schools
• Hospitals
• Government Buildings
• Events with Large Crowds

Weapons violations can bring a wide range of serious penalties, ranging from a misdemeanor offense of Possession of a Firearm without a FOID to a misdemeanor or felony offense of Unlawful Use of a Weapon, through a Class X enhanced sentencing offense of Aggravated Discharge of a Firearm. Due to the intricacies and nuances of the Illinois weapon’s laws, your defense may start with a constitutional challenge to the very statute you are charged with violating.

If you are facing weapons charges in Illinois, you need an experienced attorney on your side that understands the intricacies of the state firearms laws and can mount a strong defense on your behalf. Contact our firm at 630-871-1700 for an Initial Attorney Meeting. Our law firm represents clients in criminal legal cases, traffic violations, juvenile defense cases and expungements throughout the Chicagoland area, including Wheaton, Downers Grove, Lombard, Villa Park, Addison, Elgin, Carpentersville, Geneva, Batavia, Aurora, Maywood, Schaumburg, Glendale Heights, Cicero, Hoffman Estates, Joliet, Plainfield, DuPage County, Kane County, Cook County, Will County and other surrounding Illinois communities.