I took my dad's 9mm beretta which is legally registered to him, WITHOUT any ammunition and with no intent of use, just to show my friend up the street what a gun was really like because he had never seen one before. I accidently left it there forgetting to take it home with me. The police later raided his house for a completely different reason, but found my gun in the process and charged him with having a gun not registered to him in his possession. They ran the serial number on the gun and my dad's name came up, but the police have yet to contact me and they have had the gun in their possession for over 3 weeks now. I am 17 years old. What can I be charged with? I've been thinking something along the lines of illegal transporting of a weapon or something like that but if anyone has any law knowledge please let me know what I'm looking at.
2007-09-10 18:22:24 · 20 answers · asked by EagleEye 1 in Politics & Government ➔ Law Enforcement & Police
how about theft have you told your dad? he deserves to know you and your dad need to go to the cops so he can get his gun back and you might get a fine and probation for whatever charges.
2007-09-10 18:31:18 · answer #1 · answered by dan m 6 · 1⤊ 1⤋
I won't give you crap about how you messed up as you know it and what's done is done.
Only you know the details but how do you know all of this? Uh how do you know they ran the serial? They ran the serial number and have not contacted your father? Unlikely. A raid takes a warrent and implies drugs. Consider the possibility that you friend is just keeping the weapon or has sold it. It sounds like it.
If there was a raid or the weapon was confiscated otherwise you could be charged in so many ways. They could say you were part of what was going on (hey you left a weapon) so drug charges and related things come into play.
If the weapon is used later your father could be sued. If found by another parent he can be sued. He as well could be found criminaly negligent for not securing his weapon. They would of course come and take any other weapons in the house. His and your legal fees could be huge. It really does happen.....
You need to tell your Dad as this is not a little thing. It could actually impact you and your family in ways that you can not imagine. Sure he will be pissed but now is the time to be a man and tell him before the other shoe drops. He will have time to think about it and be prepared to sort it out for you.
2007-09-11 11:27:31 · answer #2 · answered by jackson 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I'm not sure we have the whole story here. Having a gun in the house when there is a completely logical reason for it being there is no issue. I can't believe the police have had the gun for 3 weeks and haven't contacted your father to question why it's there.
How would you know what the poilice evidence shows? They don't exactly tell everyone their process and what they are doing.
Something is missing in this story and would suggest that you get it sounding more plausible before the police question you. If you're using us as a sounding board for whether a story sounds good or not....you've got a lot more thinking to do
2007-09-11 01:30:34 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
Depending on which state you live in not only you are in trouble but your father too. If your state has storage laws and your dad violated them at the very least he'll loose the gun. You better tell him about it before the cops do. The longer you wait the worse it's gonna look for both of you.
You could be charged with possessing an unregistered handgun, negligence for leaving it there, they could even charge you with theft.
Be thankful the weapon wasn't stolen by someone else and used in a crime. Hate to say this taking the gun was dumb, forgetting about it is just plain stupid.
2007-09-11 01:40:01 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
what police state do you live in? They must have heavy duty handgun laws. Mass, New York, D.C.? Most of the time if the person is not a convicted felon or nothing illegal on the premises or reported stolen they leave it alone, was your friend old enough?
you could not be charged with anything unless you stole it or sold it. I dont think your dad will press charges on you and the cops will not give him the gun back unless he fills the paperwork out to get it back. But they could charge him for leaving it where a minor can get to it. Best to FESS UP to ole dad, then go seek legal counsel. At the best he has lost his pistol and you will wash cars for the 2 years to pay for it
2007-09-11 01:39:59 · answer #5 · answered by james b 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
No, actually I don't think you broke any laws with the exception, if your father wants to push it, as unauthorized taking. If I was 17 I would not want to be walking around with a 9mm as you could get shot by the cops, and if you concealed it, that is against the law, however they have to find you with it concealed.
Some gun laws are different state to state, however, I don't think you committed a criminals act per say!
2007-09-11 01:30:48 · answer #6 · answered by cantcu 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
This seemed like the beginning to a bad after school special. Lucky one of you didn't shoot yourselves by accident..."it wasn't loaded". You're 17, you shouldn't be messing with guns until you take some kind of safety course and learn about them. Guns require serious responsibility, not showing off to people.
2007-09-11 01:39:34 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
You did not do anything wrong (unless your dad presses charges for you taking it) and your friend's charges will be dropped. He has also done nothing wrong. You state that you took your father's gun to show it to him, and what crime has been committed? None.
You do not have to have a gun registered to you to have it in your posession. I could take my entire collection of guns to a friends house and leave it there. This kid has done NOTHING WRONG and neither has his friend. Get real people!
2007-09-11 01:27:40 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 4⤊ 0⤋
Since you're a minor, you'll probably get charged with theft. It won't be too serious.
What will be more serious is what your dad will get charged with. He will be charged with not securing his gun, and leaving it in a place where an unauthorized person got a hold of it.
2007-09-11 03:10:02 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Well, now, ain't you the regular hero? You're going to show him what a real gun looks like because he's just got to know? Every town in America has a gun shop where he could go in and see them.
2007-09-11 01:39:41 · answer #10 · answered by Marc X 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋