firearm

Federal sentencing guidelines for possession of firearm with prior felony convictions

December 16, 2010
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In prosecutions for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, the United States Attorney may seek a sentence based on the defendant’s Armed Career Criminal status. When this occurs, sentencing is severe. The offense of possession of a firearm by a felon is established by Title 18, United States Code, Section 922(g)(1). The statute [...]

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Possession of a firearm by convicted felon: federal offense

December 15, 2010
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A charge in federal court for possessing  a firearm as a convicted felon carries extremely severe penalties. It does not matter that the firearm was unloaded. Nor does it matter that the weapon was never discharged. In fact, the firearm itself may not be operable. Nonetheless, a person can be found guilty of this crime [...]

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Definition of firearm under federal law

November 30, 2010
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Possession of a firearm without a license or permit can be a criminal offense under state law. A violation of state firearms law may result in probation and forfeiture of the weapon. For example, in Illinois, possession of a firearm without a Firearm Owner’s Identification (FOID) Card is a Class 4 felony offense called aggravated [...]

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Early release from federal prison for completing substance abuse treatment

November 11, 2010
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A person serving a sentence in the Bureau of Prisons typically serves 85 percent of the sentence imposed by the United States District Court. However, federal law provides a means of early release for some prisoners. A person may be eligible for early release from federal prison after completing drug abuse treatment pursuant to Title [...]

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