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Tucson Federal Weapons Trafficking Defense Attorney

Have you been charged with gun trafficking?

Facing any type of criminal charge is a serious matter, but federal charges are especially daunting. When most people think of criminal arrests, they imagine local law enforcement officers carrying out these operations, but federal cases are handled by federal agencies such as the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF). In some cases, a state or local criminal case can be “adopted” by federal agencies. This means that while the accused was arrested by a local police force, the police pass the case to the ATF or other federal agency for them to handle prosecution at the federal level.

Unmatched Defense Counsel for Federal Firearms Trafficking Charges

The term “trafficking” most often applies to the illegal transportation of drugs, guns, or other contraband across state or national lines. Weapons trafficking can occur at many different scales, such as in a single state, across state lines, or across international borders. In the United States, the southern border with Mexico is the area where most international weapons trafficking offenses occur, but many trafficking operations have also been identified at the northern border with Canada as well as within the Gulf Coast to island nations.

If you or a family member has been charged with a federal weapons trafficking offense, it is imperative not only to know your rights when it comes to your defense, but also to know the unique challenges you will face in federal criminal court. A defense attorney experienced in federal arms trafficking cases is the ideal resource to consult in this situation, and it is vital that you connect with legal counsel you can trust as soon as possible when facing these charges.

The attorneys at Ralls & Wille, PC, have cultivated a strong professional reputation as some of the most accomplished federal defense attorneys in the United States. Our firm has successfully represented defendants in federal court in many high-profile cases in Arizona and throughout the US, and we know the challenges you are likely to encounter when criminally charged at the federal level. Whether you are facing a case handled by the FBI, the ATF, or multiple state and federal agencies, our firm knows how the authorities build their cases, the investigative techniques they use to pursue convictions, and the many defenses that might be available to you.

Understanding Federal Weapons Trafficking Charges

While each state enforces different gun laws, there are many federal firearms statutes that apply in every U.S. state. Every party involved in the supply chain of the firearms industry is heavily regulated, from manufacturers to gun store owners and dealers—including serious hobbyists. It’s possible for a federal firearms case to involve legitimate businesses, but most federal weapons trafficking cases arise from illegal operations. Most notably, trafficking illegal arms across the border into the United States is a serious offense, and this type of case may involve illegal weapons, ammunition, body armor, and other related contraband.

It’s important to know the distinction between weapons transport and weapons trafficking. There are many federal statutes that apply to the transport of weapons, and anyone who intends to move weapons across any distance in the United States must follow all applicable regulations. For example, transporting a specific type of weapon within one state may be perfectly legal under that state’s firearm statutes, but taking it across state lines could amount to a criminal offense. Weapons trafficking, on the other hand, specifically pertains to moving weapons from legal markets to illegal ones.

Most federal weapons trafficking cases are multifaceted, meaning defendants are typically charged with more than one offense in a single case. A few examples of the specific charges that often come into play in federal weapons trafficking cases include:

Trafficking, or physically moving weapons from a legal market to an illegal market.
Importing or exporting illegal weapons, parts, ammunition, and other contraband into or out of the United States.
Conspiracy to traffic weapons, meaning more than one party knowingly agrees to participate in a trafficking operation.
Illegal manufacturing, such as building firearms from illegally imported parts.
Illegal purchases, including straw purchases in which one party buys a firearm for another party, falsifying official documents for purchasing a firearm, or illegal transfer of firearms.
Transfer of firearms to another party with the knowledge that they will be used to commit a felony.
Removal or alteration of manufacturer serial numbers from firearms or parts.

While a federal weapons trafficking case may involve several firearms-related offenses, these cases also often entail drug trafficking, human trafficking, and other federal crimes.

Who Investigates Weapons Trafficking in the United States?

The ATF is the primary federal law enforcement agency responsible for weapons trafficking investigations across the country. However, they often partner with other federal agencies, such as the FBI, DEA, and HSI, as well as state and local law enforcement agencies. It is possible for a weapons trafficking case to begin with a local or state-level investigation until there is suspicion that federal laws have been broken, at which point the case can escalate to the ATF’s purview.

Your defense attorney is invaluable when it comes to confronting any gun charges against you. They can help you understand how the agency handling your case typically processes weapons trafficking cases and what you can expect as the case unfolds. Facing criminal charges at the federal level is very different from a state-level criminal case, and it is crucial to have defense representation with the experience necessary to handle complex federal criminal defense.

What is 924(c)?

When an individual is convicted under 924(c), this is essentially a firearm conviction in which the defendant used the firearm in the furtherance of a violent crime, drug-related crime, or a trafficking offense. At the federal level, the use of a firearm in furtherance of a drug or violent crime carries a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in federal prison on top of the penalty for the underlying offense. Multiple 924(c) charges in a single indictment previously allowed these penalties to compound.

The First Step Act, however, has modified how 924(c) convictions compound. The new 924(c) law only allows a single addition of five years per indictment. While this change significantly reduces the potential prison time one could face for multiple 924(c) convictions, it is still vital to fight such charges as strongly as possible, and a federal weapons trafficking defense attorney is the ideal asset to have on your side when faced with this type of case.

Know Your Rights After Arrest for a Federal Crime

The U.S. Constitution includes two crucial amendments that come into play upon an individual’s arrest for any criminal offense, including a federal weapons trafficking charge. The Fifth Amendment protects the suspect from self-incrimination, meaning they have the right to remain silent. If you are arrested for any crime, you are under no obligation to answer questions from arresting officers. You are also protected from arrest for refusal to answer questions.

The Sixth Amendment ensures access to legal representation. You have the right to an attorney even if you cannot afford to hire private defense counsel. The state and federal courts can appoint a public defender at no cost to act as your defense attorney, and until you have an attorney at your side, there is no reason to speak with police. While most federal public defenders are accomplished defense attorneys who do their best for their clients, the nature of their work requires them to handle dozens of cases at a time. This leaves little room for individual attention for any given client, so there are reasonable limits to what you can expect from a public defender in a complex federal criminal case.

Investing in an experienced defense firm ensures the highest possible level of personalized legal representation and resources that can be placed at your disposal throughout your proceedings. The team at Ralls & Wille, PC, has earned a strong professional reputation as a leader in federal criminal defense due to our extensive record of successful cases and the level of personal attention each of our clients receives.

If you are arrested by the ATF, another federal agency, or by any state or local law enforcement department for any federal offense, it is crucial to take full advantage of your constitutional rights and secure defense representation immediately. Law enforcement officers at all levels will often attempt to coax confessions or signed statements from arrested suspects, and answering any questions immediately following your arrest can lead to significant challenges as your case unfolds. It is important to comply with directions from arresting officers but also to remain silent until you can speak with a defense attorney.

Potential Penalties for Federal Gun Trafficking Conviction

Weapons trafficking is a very serious federal offense that can easily lead to many years in federal prison. Additionally, defendants in these cases face an especially precarious situation due to the fact that most federal weapons trafficking cases involve multiple charges. Because of mandatory minimum sentencing rules, even after the adjustment of 924(c) charges under the First Step Act, a defendant could be facing many years or even multiple decades in federal prison due to the number of charges against them.

Penalties for conviction of federal weapons trafficking charges can include incarceration, heavy fines, loss of constitutional rights for American citizens, and deportation for noncitizens convicted in federal court.

What to Expect from Your Defense Team

In any federal criminal case, the prosecution has the burden of proving the defendant’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt, and it is the defense attorney’s job to prevent them from accomplishing this. When you have a skilled defense attorney representing you, they can identify holes in the prosecution’s case. Law enforcement officers at all levels must follow the rules of due process and the Constitution in conducting their investigations, collecting evidence, and performing arrests. Prosecutors must also adhere to similar procedural rules when it comes to introducing evidence and testimony in federal criminal cases.

When you choose Ralls & Wille to represent your defense in a federal weapons trafficking case, we generally seek to attack the foundation of the prosecution’s case. We will carefully scrutinize the investigative techniques they used to compile their case against you, ensuring that the laws of due process were closely followed. If we uncover any element of prosecutorial misconduct or procedural violations pertaining to the evidence presented against you, we can capitalize on these issues in our effort to have your case dismissed, your charges reduced, or elements of your criminal case otherwise revised.

Find Your Defense Attorney Today

Time is a crucial concern whenever you are arrested for any crime, especially a federal offense. The attorneys at Ralls & Wille, PC, have the professional resources and experience necessary to handle the most challenging cases, and our firm has successfully defended clients in some of the most high-profile federal criminal cases in U.S. history.

We are fully prepared to provide the defense representation you need for your impending weapons trafficking case, so contact us today and schedule your consultation with our team to learn more about the legal services we offer.