Illinois Passes New Ghost Gun Law

 Posted on June 06, 2022 in Uncategorized

Gov. JB Pritzker signed a new law that makes selling or possessing “ghost guns” illegal in the state of Illinois. Illinois is the ninth state in the country – and the first in the Midwest – to enact such a law.

Ghost guns are often created on 3-D printers and do not have serial numbers, making them untraceable, that are usually sold in parts that the buyer assembles at home. This allows people who are prohibited under the law to own guns to get around background checks and obtain these weapons.

How Common Are Ghost Guns?

Law enforcement officials have raised the alarm over the increase in ghost guns on the streets. According to statistics released by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), there were approximately 24,000 ghost guns recovered by law enforcement between 2016 to 2020.

The number of ghost guns have spiked here in Illinois, as well. In 2020, the Illinois State Police recovered 62 ghost guns. In 2021, that number tripled to 180. So far this year, the agency has recovered 164 ghost guns, with seven more months in the year to go.

Ghost guns are also attractive to teens, who otherwise are prohibited from possessing guns. Just this month, there have been two cases of teens charged with possessing ghost guns. In one case, the teen allegedly brought the gun to school.

Penalties for Violating the Law

If anyone in Illinois currently owns a ghost gun, they have 180 days from the date the law was signed to go through the process to legally obtain a serial number for the gun.

Once that grace period is over, if a person is found to have a ghost gun, the can be charged with a Class A misdemeanor. A second offense will be charged as a Class 3 felony.

A first offense of selling a ghost gun will be charged as a Class 4 felony, which could mean a prison sentence of one to three years if convicted. A second offense will be charged as a Class 2 felony, and a conviction could mean a three to seven-year prison sentence.

Call a Will and Grundy County Defense Lawyer

If you are facing any kind of weapons charge in Illinois, contact the Law Offices of Jack L. Zaremba, P.C. to ensure you have skilled and aggressive legal representation advocating for you. Call our office today at 815-740-4025 to schedule a free and confidential consultation with a dedicated Will County weapons defense attorney.