The state of Illinois places strict restrictions on firearm possession for the public. Those constraints are even more stringent for someone who has a felony conviction.
Unlawful Possession of a Weapon by a Felon (UUWF) is governed by 720 ILCS 5/24-1.1. If you are charged with this crime and convicted, you will face substantial prison time, costly fines, and lasting consequences that will negatively impact your life.
Protecting yourself from harsh penalties after a UUWF charge is essential. You will need the most experienced and aggressive legal defense. At Glasgow & Olsson, our Chicago weapons defense attorneys are seasoned, respected, and have a history of delivering the highest quality results for our clients. We know how to build strong defense strategies on behalf of our clients. Our firm handles cases involving weapons such as:
- Guns
- Firearms
- All objects that may be considered weapons, including scissors, bats, knives, blunt objects, and more
Charges of UUWF in Illinois
If you are a convicted felon and you knowingly possess a firearm or firearm ammunition, with the current Illinois gun laws in place, you can be arrested and charged under 720 ILCS 5/24-1.1 with the offense of Unlawful Possession of a Weapon by a Felon. This is true if you have been convicted of a felony under Illinois law, another state’s law, or federal law.
You don’t even have to commit another crime with that firearm. The law does not require prosecutors to prove that you used the weapon to violate the law. Simply possessing a prohibited weapon or ammunition may be enough to support criminal charges.
Possession may be actual physical possession, meaning that you had the weapon or ammunition on your person. Or, it can be what is called constructive possession, which means that the firearm was located in an area that you have control over, such as a vehicle, residence, or other property.
It is important to understand that in many Illinois counties, one of the charges most frequently encountered in felony firearm cases includes UUWF. Prosecutors will often pursue UUWF if you have qualifying prior convictions. They do this because they know they can secure increased sentencing that comes with a UUWF conviction.
Since firearm offenses carry serious legal consequences and often also involve complex constitutional issues related to search, seizures, and possession, it is necessary that you have an experienced criminal defense attorney representing you.
Get Qualified Legal Help Today
Understanding your rights and obtaining legal representation early when you are facing allegations of gun law violations in Illinois best positions you for the most favorable results. For more information, please speak with our Schaumburg criminal defense attorneys at Glasgow & Olsson today and learn how decades of trusted experience can protect what matters most to you.
Our law firm is widely recognized as a leading authority in criminal law. For this reason, Attorney Thomas T. Glasgow is a trusted legal voice who is regularly invited to appear on major networks, including ABC, CNN, NBC, CBS, and Fox News.
When your rights and freedoms are on the line, having an attorney on your side with an excellent reputation and unimpeachable experience matters.