Massachusetts has some of the toughest gun laws in the country, and these apply equally to those from out of state. If you carry a gun into Massachusetts, you generally must have a license to carry from Massachusetts or face strict penalties.
Carrying a firearm without a license in Massachusetts carries a mandatory minimum penalty of 18 months in jail. This applies to people from out of state who bring a gun into the state, even if you have a license to carry in your home state. You can even be held without bail for a gun charge in Massachusetts. This applies even if your home state does not require a license to carry a firearm.
You can carry a gun through Massachusetts under certain circumstances, but carefully abide by the conditions outlined in the law. Failure to abide by these requirements could have dire consequences.
However, if you have been charged with a gun crime in Massachusetts and you are from out state, you need an experienced firearms attorney on your side. I have defended people all around Massachusetts for illegally possessing a gun. I have gotten gun charges dismissed, won jury trials, and gotten firearm charges reduced to misdemeanors and probation.
There is also some encouraging developments in federal law. These developments could help some people escape the more unjust aspects of Massachusetts gun laws. The U.S. Supreme Court held in Bruen that states cannot restrict gun licenses to those who can justify having a gun, but the ruling may go further. Massachusetts followed suit, holding for the first time that the Second Amendment protects carrying a gun outside the home.
Some judges in Massachusetts have dismissed gun charges against those from out of state. If you believe this may apply to you, hire an attorney who knows the gun laws in Massachusetts. I have filed and argued motions to dismiss gun charges in Massachusetts.
If you are from out of state and charged with a gun crime in Massachusetts, call or text me today at 617-295-7500, and let’s get started on your defense.