Traveling with Ammunition in Maryland

Under Maryland law, traveling with ammunition is defined as moving the ammunition in a vehicle itself and the person purchased the ammunition. Most stores are smart enough to actually pack it for the buyer so it shows that it has been purchased legally. Buyers should keep the receipt with them.

If an individual purchased ammunition in the State of Maryland, they should take it home. If a person purchased ammunition out of state and they are bringing it back to the State of Maryland, take it straight home. Anyone being charged for unlawfully traveling with ammunition in Maryland should contact an experienced gun ammunition lawyer about how local laws can affect their case specifically.

Lawful vs. Unlawful Traveling

If a person does not have the ability to gain a lawful permit to register a firearm or own a firearm in any way, shape or form, they should not have the ammunition as well. Therefore, traveling with ammunition in Maryland is still a misdemeanor crime depending, of course, on how much ammunition there is. A massive amount of ammunition will entail felony charges. If a person is traveling with ammunition across state lines, the biggest problem is going to be with the federal government, compared to the State of Maryland.

Any individual can travel with ammunition in Maryland as long as they have a license. If they have a gun permit, if it is licensed, then they may want to call it. They can travel with ammunition because they can lawfully purchase it. If someone is a collector or involved in sales, they can have it but they should be driving directly from Point A to Point B.

Penalties for Unlawful Travel

Whether an individual has a gun or ammunition, unlawful traveling offenses are treated the same in Maryland. First traveling with ammunition offenses would be different from secondary offenses. Possession of a gun or even ammunition by someone who is a convicted a felon, a fugitive, or a convicted drug user or addict is punishable by 10 years of imprisonment.

If an individual has three or more prior felony convictions for crimes of violence, such as drug trafficking, and they possess a gun or ammunition the penalty is 15 years without parole.

The penalty for traveling with ammunition in Maryland is no different from the gun itself. Maryland heavily regulates the guns and the ammunition that an individual can either have on their person or transport or carry in the state.

Building a Defense

Sometimes there is a very reasonable explanation for traveling with ammunition, such as an individual being in a shared vehicle. A lawyer understands evidence and that an individual has certain constitutional rights that would prevent some search and seizures. That is why an individual needs to call a lawyer right away.

An attorney knows exactly how to research the case itself and figure out how law enforcement became aware of ammunition in the vehicle or on the person. The attorney can address any Fourth Amendment constitutional challenges that would apply, including what the workup from the officers was or where the individual was coming from. There are many factors that go into building a defense for traveling with ammunition in Maryland cases.

Contacting an Attorney

With few exceptions, if a person receives probation before judgment, they can expunge it three years after the date of the incident. With regards to an expungement in a traveling with ammunition case, if an individual is found not guilty or if their case is dismissed or null prosse, or if an individual receives probation before judgment, they keep the eligibility for an expungement from part of the future and getting it off the record.

There are certain guns that are not regulated when traveling with ammunition in Maryland. Therefore, someone could own a shotgun or a rifle. They can lawfully have ammunition for it on their person because it is unregulated.

The charges faced by a person accused of traveling with ammunition are incredibly serious. It is just as serious as it would be for a person to have the actual gun on their person. If they are found guilty, the unlawful act of traveling with ammunition in Maryland is never coming off their record, which will be detrimental to their ability to find employment, get a mortgage, find an apartment, and get security clearances.