Maryland Gun Investigations

Being the subject of a police investigation of a Maryland gun investigation may be an overwhelming ordeal. A person may inadvertently implicate themselves if they are not aware of the methods or lengths government officials may go to in order to convict them. If you believe the authorities are attempting to charge you with a firearm violation, contact a Maryland gun lawyer. A well-practiced attorney could help you disprove any claims thrown your way.

Investigative Measures Law Enforcement Officers May Take

There may be several different aspects to the state’s investigation. A gun investigation in Maryland is typically centered around the weapon. The recovery of the weapon would begin a chain of custody. The state must establish every link in that chain of custody in order to account for the location and circumstances of the weapon from the time it was seized on the scene when it was found, to the time it is brought into court to be used as evidence in trial. The state could question witnesses who may have been on the scene. This may occur at the scene, immediately afterwards at a police station, in the coming days, weeks or even months after the incident. Investigations are typically led by the prosecutors and could be ongoing. They may include warrants to tap phone lines, search warrants for a person’s home or residence and other individual elements. The officers could follow an individual or track their movements to try to obtain evidence in support of their case.

How to Know if a Person is Being Investigated

A few things may give a person a clue they are being investigated for gun charges. The government investigators might directly ask the person and may attempt to go after them. They may try to catch someone unexpectedly at their home, on the street, or in their place of work to try to surprise the person into giving a statement or answering questions. The person has no obligation to say a single word to any detective or officer. The officers are not prevented from asking, but they cannot detain the person, force them to answer any questions, or keep them under custody unless they are under arrest with probable cause. A few of the most common indirect clues that someone is under an ongoing gun investigation in Maryland may be:

• Their friends or associates were spoken to or approached by detectives
• Their employer was been approached by law enforcement
• Their home has been visited by law enforcement
• Family members spoke to a detective when the person was not at home

Definite signs of being under investigation could include if someone has observed they are under surveillance, if their documents are being looked into, or their employers or financial institutions are being searched. Their educational history may be looked into if they are a student, and the detectives may approach their educational institutions.

Sentiment Regarding Firearms in Maryland

Maryland is typically not gun-friendly. While there is a hunting community in Maryland, and there are many rural areas where gun possession for a person’s safety or recreation is not uncommon, the political climate or the social climate in Maryland with regard to guns focuses on gun violence and the use of firearms in violent crimes and in homicides. After a period of decline in gun violence and gun homicides, recent years have seen an increase in these types of crimes. This increase has led to a renewed pressure to crack down on gun violence and getting guns off the street. Since prosecutors and law enforcement in the state are relatively strict in the enforcement of gun laws, there is an increased potential for harsher penalties for someone accused of a gun crime. Prosecutors could be less inclined to offer a diversion program for offenders. Maryland gun investigations are taken very seriously, and officials process the case in a very thorough manner. Speak to a Maryland gun lawyer if you believe you are under investigation.