What Are the Sentencing Guidelines for Ammunition Possession in Massachusetts?
- Having bullets in Logan airport is a cause for immediate arrest.bullets image by Freddy from Fotolia.com
Knowing the sentencing guidelines a judge uses for possession of ammunition in Massachusetts prepares you for criminal legal proceedings. Sentencing guidelines for ammunition possession are provided for in the Massachusetts laws. The definition of ammunition in Massachusetts includes bullets, cartridges, shells and propellant powder designed for use in a weapon. - A person who is carrying ammunition for a weapon but does not have the license to do so faces up to two years in jail or a maximum $500 fine for a first offense, as stated in Chapter 269.10(h)(1) of of the Massachusetts Statutes. A second violation carries a jail sentence of up to two years in jail and a fine capped at $1,000. An officer of the law is permitted to arrest a person suspected of having ammunition unlawfully without a warrant.
- A person who carries a weapon over a public way, like a street, with ammunition in the chamber or in a magazine is subject to fines and imprisonment under Chapter 269.12(D)(a) of the Massachusetts Statutes. Possessing a small capacity weapon with ammunition carries a fine from $500 to $5,000 and a possible sentence of two years in a local prison, while a large capacity weapon with ammunition has a fine range of $1,000 to $10,000 and a maximum jail sentence of 10 years. The law specifically exempts certain persons, such as police officers and licensed hunters.
- A licensed person that possessed and then left ammunition unattended is subject to penalties if the court finds he intended to sell or a transfer the ammunition to an unlicensed person or was planning to commit or cover-up a crime. The maximum sentence under Chapter 269.10(2) of the Massachusetts Statutes is two and a half years in a local prison or five years in a state prison.
- No person, except authorized law enforcement, security and military personnel, may be found in possession of ammunition in the Logan airport per Chapter 90.61 of the Massachusetts Statutes. A person who unlawfully possesses ammunition in the Logan airport faces a maximum fine of $25,000 and a possible jail term of up to two years in a local prison.
