Lakewood Gun Crimes Lawyer
Gun charges in Lakewood move fast. From the moment law enforcement makes an arrest, the Jefferson County District Attorney’s Office begins building a case, gathering evidence, and locking in a prosecution narrative. Colorado firearms law is layered, and Lakewood sits in a jurisdiction where gun crimes are prosecuted aggressively, whether the charge is unlawful possession, carrying a concealed weapon without a permit, or a felony menacing allegation involving a firearm. The decisions made in the hours and days immediately following an arrest will shape everything that comes next.
Working with a Lakewood gun crimes lawyer who actually understands how these cases are investigated, charged, and litigated gives you a real chance to challenge the government’s evidence before it hardens into a conviction. DeChant Law represents clients in Lakewood and throughout Jefferson County in firearms-related criminal matters, from first-time possession charges to serious allegations carrying years in prison.
Reid DeChant built his defense practice on time spent in courtrooms across the Denver metro, defending clients at the public defender level and in private practice against some of the most serious criminal charges Colorado courts see. That background means a realistic, informed approach to firearms defense, not just paperwork and pleas.
What Lakewood Gun Charges Actually Look Like in Jefferson County
Lakewood is the largest city in Jefferson County, and the Jefferson County Combined Courts handle a significant volume of firearms-related criminal matters. These cases come in several forms, and the specific charge matters enormously for determining what defenses apply, what penalties are on the table, and whether a case has a realistic path toward dismissal or reduction.
Colorado does not require a permit to purchase a firearm or to openly carry one. But the areas where carrying is prohibited, the rules around concealed carry, and the prohibitions on who can possess a firearm at all create a web of potential criminal exposure that catches many people off guard. Someone with a prior felony conviction, a domestic violence misdemeanor, or a restraining order in their history may not legally possess a firearm, even one sitting in a closet at home. Law enforcement in Lakewood encounters firearms during traffic stops on Kipling Street, Wadsworth Boulevard, and Colfax Avenue, during domestic violence calls, and during searches conducted pursuant to warrants or consent.
When a firearm is found under any of those circumstances, the question is not just whether you had the gun. It is whether the stop was lawful, whether the search was constitutionally valid, whether the firearm was actually in your control or possession, and whether the charge the DA filed actually fits the facts. A Lakewood gun crimes attorney who knows how to examine those questions can identify issues that change the outcome of a case significantly.
Common Firearms Charges Defended at DeChant Law
- Illegal possession of a firearm by a prohibited person: Colorado law prohibits individuals with certain prior convictions, including felonies and some domestic violence misdemeanors, from possessing firearms. This charge frequently arises after a traffic stop or domestic call and carries substantial felony exposure depending on the underlying history.
- Felony menacing with a deadly weapon: Allegations that someone placed another person in fear by threatening them with a firearm can be charged as a felony. These cases often stem from disputes between neighbors, domestic partners, or acquaintances, and the facts are frequently contested. DeChant Law has a record of felony menacing dismissals and acquittals.
- Carrying a concealed handgun without a valid permit: Colorado requires a permit for concealed carry. Being found with a concealed firearm without that permit is a criminal offense, and the circumstances of how law enforcement discovered the weapon are critical to the defense.
- Assault with a deadly weapon: When a firearm is used or alleged to have been used in an assault, the charge becomes a serious felony. DeChant Law has obtained Not Guilty verdicts at trial on two-count assault with a deadly weapon charges.
- Prohibited use of weapons: Colorado law restricts firing a weapon while under the influence of alcohol or drugs. These charges sometimes arise alongside DUI-related arrests and carry their own separate penalties.
- Possession of a defaced or altered firearm: Possessing a firearm with an obliterated or altered serial number is a separate criminal offense under Colorado law, regardless of whether the possessor was the one who altered it.
- Transfer or straw purchase violations: Providing a firearm to someone who is prohibited from owning one, or acting as a middleman to circumvent a background check, creates serious legal exposure under both state and federal law.
- Unlawful possession on school grounds or other restricted areas: Taking a firearm into a school, government building, or other restricted location, even inadvertently, is a criminal offense in Colorado that can carry felony penalties.
What to Do After a Gun Charge in Lakewood
If you have been arrested on a firearms charge in Lakewood, the first thing to understand is that anything you said at the scene, in the patrol car, or at the police station is already part of the record. Do not make additional statements to law enforcement, detectives, or anyone associated with the prosecution without speaking to a gun crimes attorney in Lakewood first. Explaining yourself rarely helps and frequently creates new problems.
Your case will be prosecuted through the Jefferson County District Attorney’s Office, with proceedings held at the Jefferson County Combined Courts located at 100 Jefferson County Parkway in Golden. Arraignments, preliminary hearings, motions hearings, and trials all take place there. You will be assigned a court date shortly after arrest, and that initial appearance sets deadlines and procedures in motion. Missing court dates or failing to respond to required notices has serious consequences, including arrest warrants and forfeiture of bond.
Gather and preserve everything you can before it disappears. If the stop or encounter was recorded on a doorbell camera, security system, or business camera near where the incident occurred, that footage needs to be preserved quickly, as many systems overwrite recordings within days. If there were witnesses, write down their names and contact information now. If you legally purchased the firearm in question, locate your purchase records and any documentation related to a concealed carry permit if one applies.
One of the most common mistakes people make after a gun arrest is assuming the charge is straightforward and entering a plea without fully exploring suppression options. The Fourth Amendment governs how law enforcement can stop you, detain you, and search your vehicle or home. If officers lacked reasonable suspicion for a stop, probable cause for a search, or a valid warrant, evidence obtained during that encounter may be subject to suppression. Firearms charges built on unlawful searches can fall apart entirely once a suppression motion is litigated. That analysis starts with a careful review of police reports, body camera footage, and the sequence of events leading to the arrest.
How Federal Law Intersects with Lakewood Firearms Cases
Not all gun charges stay at the state level. Federal firearms prosecutions are handled by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado, and federal gun charges frequently carry mandatory minimum sentences that state courts cannot impose. When a firearm is connected to a drug trafficking offense, crosses state lines, or involves a prohibited person with a prior felony, federal prosecutors may become involved.
The difference between a state firearms case and a federal one can be the difference between probation and years in federal prison. Federal sentencing guidelines for firearms offenses are structured and, in many cases, require incarceration without the flexibility that Colorado state courts retain. If federal agents including the ATF were involved in your case, or if you were charged in federal court rather than Jefferson County, the defense strategy and the stakes are different from what applies in a standard state case.
Reid DeChant’s background defending serious felony cases, including assault with a deadly weapon, felony menacing, and other violent charge allegations, gives him a foundation in understanding how evidence is assembled against defendants in high-stakes matters. Firearms cases, whether state or federal, demand the same careful attention to constitutional issues, witness credibility, and evidentiary foundations that any serious criminal case requires.
Why DeChant Law for Firearms Defense in Lakewood
Reid DeChant’s record in serious criminal cases is the clearest measure of what DeChant Law brings to firearms defense. Reid has obtained Not Guilty verdicts at trial on charges including two counts of assault with a deadly weapon, DUI, and DUI-Drugs. The Jefferson County Combined Courts, where Lakewood firearms cases are litigated, are familiar ground. Reid’s time as a public defender gave him extensive courtroom experience in Denver, Broomfield, and Adams County, handling cases ranging from misdemeanors through homicides. That volume of trial experience means Reid has done far more than most private attorneys in terms of actual courtroom litigation.
Reid is a graduate of the Trial Lawyers College, the training program founded by Gerry Spence that focuses on authentic storytelling and human connection in the courtroom. That training matters in a firearms case because juries make decisions based on how they understand the full picture. The law is one dimension. The context, the credibility of the officers involved, the clarity of the evidence, and the human reality of what actually happened are what shape verdicts. Reid also maintains membership in the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers and the Colorado Criminal Defense Bar, which keeps his defense approach current and connected to the best strategies available nationally.
Clients at DeChant Law are treated as partners in their own defense. Reid explains what is happening and why at every stage, which matters when you are trying to make real decisions about your case under real pressure.
Questions About Gun Charges in Lakewood and Jefferson County
Can my firearm charge be expunged from my record in Colorado?
Colorado’s expungement laws are limited when it comes to adult criminal convictions. Sealing of criminal records is available in some circumstances, particularly for cases that were dismissed or where charges did not result in a conviction. Certain conviction types may qualify for sealing after a waiting period. If a firearm charge against you was dismissed or you were acquitted, sealing may be available and is worth pursuing to protect your background check record.
What happens to my concealed carry permit if I am charged with a gun crime?
A criminal charge involving a firearm can trigger a review or suspension of a concealed carry permit, and a conviction will generally result in revocation. The permit is issued through the sheriff’s office in the county where you reside. Jefferson County Sheriff administers permits for Lakewood residents, and a conviction that makes you a prohibited person under Colorado or federal law will eliminate your ability to legally carry. This makes fighting the charge, rather than simply accepting a plea, especially important for permit holders.
Can I be charged with a gun crime even if I did not fire the weapon?
Yes. Many of Colorado’s firearms charges have nothing to do with firing the weapon. Unlawful possession, carrying without a permit, possession by a prohibited person, and felony menacing can all be charged without any discharge of the firearm. Even having a firearm in a vehicle where you are a passenger can lead to a possession charge if the prosecution argues you had constructive possession, meaning access to and control over the weapon.
What is the difference between actual possession and constructive possession in a Lakewood gun case?
Actual possession means the firearm was physically on your person. Constructive possession means the prosecution argues you had knowledge of the firearm and control over it even if it was not on you, for example, in a glove box, under a seat, or in a bag. Constructive possession cases are genuinely contested, and when multiple people are in a vehicle or a shared residence, constructive possession arguments can be challenged on the grounds that someone else had equal or greater access and control.
If the police searched my car without a warrant, can the gun evidence be suppressed?
Potentially yes. The Fourth Amendment protects against unreasonable searches, and evidence obtained through an unconstitutional search can be suppressed, meaning it cannot be used against you at trial. Warrantless vehicle searches are permitted under certain exceptions, including the automobile exception when there is probable cause to believe evidence of a crime is inside. However, if the stop itself was unlawful, or if officers exceeded the scope of a valid stop, a suppression motion may succeed. This analysis requires a careful review of the specific facts and the sequence of events leading to the search.
How serious is a first-offense gun possession charge in Jefferson County?
It depends heavily on the specific charge. A first-time concealed carry violation without a permit is a misdemeanor but still carries the potential for jail time, fines, and a criminal record. Possession by a prohibited person is typically a felony, and felony convictions carry consequences that extend far beyond the sentence itself, including loss of gun rights, employment difficulties, and immigration consequences. Do not assume a first offense means the charge is minor.
Can a firearms charge affect my immigration status?
Yes. Non-citizens, including lawful permanent residents, face serious immigration consequences from firearms convictions. Some firearms offenses are considered aggravated felonies or crimes of moral turpitude under federal immigration law, which can trigger deportation proceedings, bar naturalization, or affect re-entry rights. If you are not a U.S. citizen, the immigration dimension of a firearms charge must be part of the defense conversation from the beginning.
Does Colorado have a red flag law, and how does it interact with a criminal charge?
Colorado does have an extreme risk protection order law, sometimes called a red flag law, which allows law enforcement or household members to petition a court to temporarily remove firearms from someone deemed to pose a significant risk. An ERPO proceeding is civil, not criminal, but it can run parallel to a criminal case. An active ERPO means you cannot legally possess any firearms, and violating that order creates an additional criminal exposure entirely separate from the underlying charge.
What defenses are most commonly used in Colorado gun possession cases?
The most commonly litigated defenses involve constitutional challenges to the stop, detention, or search that produced the firearm. Beyond suppression, defenses may include challenging whether the defendant actually possessed the weapon, whether the defendant had knowledge the firearm was present, whether a valid exemption applies, or whether the identification of the person is correctly established. In felony menacing cases involving a firearm, self-defense is often a central issue. The right defense depends entirely on the specific facts.
What if I was charged with both a drug offense and a gun offense in the same arrest?
Combined drug and firearm charges are treated very seriously under both state and federal law. Under federal law, using or carrying a firearm in connection with a drug trafficking crime carries mandatory consecutive sentences. At the state level, the simultaneous presence of drugs and a firearm in a vehicle or home leads to more serious charging decisions and complicates plea negotiations. These dual-charge scenarios require defense analysis that accounts for how the two sets of charges interact and what the realistic outcomes look like at both the state and federal levels.
Firearms Defense Across Lakewood and the Western Denver Metro
DeChant Law represents clients facing gun charges across Lakewood and throughout the broader Jefferson County and Denver metro region. This includes clients in Wheat Ridge, Golden, Arvada, Westminster, Englewood, Littleton, Morrison, Evergreen, Conifer, and the mountain communities along the US-285 and I-70 corridors. Representation also extends into the city and county of Denver itself, as well as Adams County, Broomfield County, Douglas County, and Arapahoe County courts where overlapping jurisdiction or separate charges may apply.
Within Lakewood itself, clients come from neighborhoods throughout the city including Belmar, Eiber, Edgewater, Glennon Heights, Green Gables, and areas along the West Colfax corridor, Kipling Parkway, and Wadsworth Boulevard where many traffic stops and related encounters occur. Whether the case begins with a routine traffic stop in one of those areas or a more serious incident involving law enforcement response, the Jefferson County Combined Courts in Golden are where firearms cases from Lakewood are resolved.
Talk to a Lakewood Gun Crimes Attorney About Your Case
A firearms charge in Jefferson County is not something to approach without serious legal representation. The prosecution moves quickly, evidence gets locked in, and the window to identify constitutional issues or pursue a dismissal is not unlimited. Reid DeChant has defended clients against some of the most serious criminal allegations Colorado courts handle, with acquittals and dismissals in cases where the stakes were highest.
If you or someone you know needs a Lakewood gun crimes attorney, contact DeChant Law now to discuss the specific facts of your case. The consultation is confidential, and the earlier you get a defense lawyer involved, the more options remain available.
