Defaced Firearm

It’s against the law to deface a firearm. What does that even mean? It means that it’s illegal to remove, alter, mutilate or deface in any way a serial number on any firearm.

And you can also be charged with possessing an altered firearm if you are caught with one while committing another crime, such as robbing a store.

The serial numbers are used to trace guns which are purchased legally by law-abiding citizens. If you deface a gun or purchase one that has been defaced, you may have to pay a legal price.

If you have been arrested in New Hampshire on charges of defacing a firearm, you need to talk to an experienced criminal defense attorney such as Michael Anzalone.

The state’s criminal code specifically defines this in RSA 159:13. Any person charged under this statute will face a misdemeanor.

Your attorney will tell you that while the Second Amendment gives you the right to possess firearms as long as you meet the criteria spelled out in state law, you must be a responsible gun owner. And responsible gun owners don’t deface their weapons, or buy from someone else a weapon with a serial number that’s been changed or defaced in some way.

This is against the law. If you are caught with a defaced weapon, it’s likely that you’ve been arrested on some other charge. And this can cause a judge to bump up the charges against you.

The first thing you should do if you are arrested on this or any other charge in New Hampshire is to contact a criminal defense lawyer. Michael Anzalone is your best choice because of his experience in defending weapons charges for his clients.

If you are arrested, the best thing you can do is refuse to talk to authorities until you are able to contact a lawyer and have legal representation in the room with you. You never want to talk to law enforcement authorities unless you have a lawyer who represents you by your side.

Anything you tell the police could be used against you and your lawyer can advise you on what you should say or what you should not say.

One thing we encourage at The Anzalone Law Firm is to have clients learn about the laws. So if you are a gun holder, you should dive in and try to learn about the laws regulating weapon use in New Hampshire. Of course, our legal team will be available to you if you have any questions.

An arrest on any charge can bring unwanted changes. It could make you lose your job, harm your reputation and cost you the possibility of future employment. If you are a student, it could affect future student loans.

Our law team, based in Nashua, New Hampshire, is experienced in dealing with both state and federal gun cases. So you can be assured from the outset that we’ll have your best interests at heart as your case goes though the legal system.

Call Michael Anzalone today at 603.548.3797 for a free consultation about your case.