CRIMINAL DEFENSE · GREENSBORO · GUILFORD COUNTY · HIGH POINT, NC
Charged with a Firearm or Weapons Offense in Greensboro?
From possession of a firearm by a felon to carrying a concealed weapon, North Carolina gun charges will carry serious felony consequences and can include the permanent loss of your right to own a firearm. Our Board Certified criminal attorneys defend weapon cases throughout Guilford County
UNDERSTANDING YOUR CHARGE
Weapons Charges Are Felonies With Lifelong Consequences
North Carolina takes firearm-related offenses seriously, and Guilford County prosecutors pursue them aggressively. The most common and most serious weapons charge we see is Possession of a Firearm by a Felon under N.C. Gen. Stat. § 14-415.1 is a Class G felony that carries real prison time and can permanently bar you from legally owning a firearm again unless your rights are formally restored.
Other weapons charges, such as carrying a concealed weapon, possession of a weapon on educational property, or possession of a firearm with an altered serial number, carry their own consequences and are charged regularly throughout Greensboro and High Point. Whatever the charge, the stakes go beyond the courtroom: a conviction can affect your employment, your housing, and your constitutional rights for the rest of your life.
Attorney Brennan Aberle focuses much of his practice on firearm cases, including possession of a firearm by a felon, a primary area of concentration. If you've been charged anywhere in Guilford or Rockingham County, call us before your next court date.
TYPES OF CHARGES
Common Weapon Charges in Guilford County
North Carolina's weapons statutes cover a range of conduct from carrying a pocketknife the wrong way to possessing a firearm after a felony conviction. Here are the charges our Greensboro lawyers see most often.
If you have a prior felony conviction in North Carolina (or a substantially similar offense in another jurisdiction), it is illegal to possess any firearm—including for hunting, self-defense, or simply being in a home where one is present. This is one of the most heavily prosecuted weapons charges in Guilford County and often arises during traffic stops, domestic incidents, or searches related to other charges.
Possessing, receiving, or transferring a firearm with an altered, removed, or obliterated serial number is a felony in North Carolina—even if you did not alter it yourself and were unaware it had been altered when you acquired it. This charge often accompanies other weapons or drug charges following a search.
Carrying a concealed handgun, knife with a blade over a certain length, or other deadly weapon about your person without a valid concealed handgun permit is a criminal offense. A second or subsequent offense, or carrying on certain premises, can elevate the charge to a felony.
Possessing a firearm, BB gun, knife, or other weapon on the grounds of a school—including K-12 campuses and college campuses such as UNCG, NC A&T, and Guilford College—is treated extremely seriously. Penalties range from a Class 1 misdemeanor to a Class I felony depending on the weapon and circumstances and can include expulsion regardless of the criminal outcome.
THE “FELON ELEMENT”
What Counts as a Prior Felony for § 14-415.1?
Under N.C. Under Gen. Stat. § 14-415.1 The charge of possession of a Firearm by a Felon, the State must prove that you have a prior felony conviction. This sounds simple, but it's often the most contested element in these cases.
Issues that frequently arise: whether an out-of-state conviction is truly "similar" to an NC felony, whether a prior conviction was later expunged or vacated, and whether the firearm itself meets the statutory definition. Each of these can be a point of challenge, and in our experience, prosecutors don't always get this element right the first time.