Mesa

Mesa is the third-largest city in Arizona. It is located in Maricopa County, east of Phoenix. Top employers include Boeing, Walmart, Fry's, and Home Depot. The city includes large parks and recreation areas, including golf courses. It is served by several freeways, including¬ Route 60, SR 87, Loop 101, and Loop 202. There are about 14,140 crimes in Mesa annually, only 1,804 of which are violent crimes. In 2013, Mesa's crime rate dropped to a historic low. However, there is significantly more crime per square foot in Mesa than in Arizona at large. If you have been charged with a crime, experienced Mesa criminal defense attorney James Novak can evaluate the case against you and help you determine how to best protect your future.

Individuals accused of weapons and firearms offenses may not have been aware that their alleged conduct was prohibited by law. Under Arizona Revised Statute section 13-3102, you may be charged with misconduct involving weapons under a wide variety of circumstances including if you: carry a deadly weapon (other than a pocket knife) and lie when asked about it by a police officer, possess a deadly or prohibited weapon, carry a deadly weapon in your car in order to help you commit a serious felony or violent offense, manufacture a deadly weapon, transfer a deadly weapon to someone who is not allowed to possess the weapon, deface a deadly weapon or possess a deadly weapon knowing it's been defaced, help a gang by discharging a firearm, or use a deadly weapon in order to further an act of terrorism.

Although all of these acts are prohibited under one code section, different classes of crimes may be charged for different acts. For example, if you are convicted of using a deadly weapon in order to further terrorism, you can be charged with a class 2 felony and sentenced to a presumptive term of 10.5 years. If you discharge a firearm in order to help a gang, you can be charged with a class 3 felony and upon conviction, you can be sentenced to a presumptive term of 7.5 years. Manufacturing a deadly weapon is a class 4 felony, for which you can be sentenced to a presumptive term of 6 years.

While most people convicted of misconduct involving a firearm are assigned a presumptive term of sentencing, the sentencing range can vary dramatically based on numerous factors including prior convictions, whether the victim was a minor, whether the offense resulted in death and whether the offense was aggravated or mitigated.

In weapons cases, as with other criminal cases, the state prosecutor must meet a very high standard of proof in order to show you committed every element of the offense charged by the prosecutor beyond a reasonable doubt. A knowledgeable Mesa criminal defense lawyer can attack a prosecutor's case to show that there is reasonable doubt in your case. A judge or jury that has even a small amount of doubt as to the prosecutor's evidence must acquit. A criminal defense attorney can also investigate to determine whether police followed proper procedure and to make sure your constitutional rights are upheld. Contact James Novak at (480) 413-1499 or via our online form for your no-cost consultation today.