Unlawful Carrying Weapon Defense Attorney

Charged with unlawful carrying a weapon in Houston, TX? Contact Carl Haggard today by email or 832-328-0600 for a free one-on-one evaluation of your case.

UNLAWFUL CARRYING OF A WEAPON
Case # 21-CCR-225382 – Joshua F.

DISMISSED January 23, 2023

Joshua was an 18 year Army combat Veteran who received a 100% disability rating due to PTSD. He was stopped on a traffic violation while traveling on a stretch of I-10 known for drug transport. Police smelled marijuana & a search yielded marijuana, a grinder & 2 guns. Our defense included his honorable military service to his country, the PTSD & other combat-related disabilities, the Medical Marijuana card he had when living in another state, his efforts to obtain a MM card for LA, where he was then living, as well as mitigating & character evidence from his personal & family background.

UNLAWFUL CARRYING OF A WEAPON
Case No. 2195577 – Julio H.

DISMISSED August 29, 2018

Julio went to University of Houston to meet a prospective buyer for his classic 1996 Chevy Impala SS. The buyer set him up by causing an accident during the test drive. When Julio got out to inspect the damage the buyer sped off in Julio’s Chevy. Julio later saw his car near his neighborhood – with 2 men filling up a 5 gal. can of gasoline in the back seat. He grabbed his gun and while calling 911 held it trained on the thieves, who were arrested. But – so was Julio, for allegedly displaying and using his gun unlawfully. It also came back stolen, which did not help the case but we proved that had nothing to do with the charge and mounted other defenses such as “Necessity” using Ch. 9 of the TX Penal Code, which gave him the lawful right to make a citizen’s arrest under these circumstances. We further argued that his quick thinking prevented a police chase and possibly saved innocent lives – Julio knew the high speeds his car was capable of reaching and did not want the lives of innocent citizens endangered. We used a lot of documentary evidence and legal research to win this case, a victory all the more outstanding as Julio had a prior conviction for UCAW.

UNLAWFUL CARRYING OF A WEAPON
Case No. 2169867 – Chris B.

DISMISSED December 14

After some drinks at home Chris made a late night food run to McDonalds with a half empty bottle of scotch in the console. He had an accident in the drive thru during which his gun fell out of his holster and on the ground. After testing, police found him intoxicated. Instead of charging him with a DWI the State hoped to get their conviction for unlawful carrying a gun while intoxicated. The police asked DPS to suspend his handgun license but we researched and argued the case to a dismissal.

UNLAWFUL CARRYING OF A WEAPON
Case No. 2151962 – Rene W.

DISMISSED August 17

Rene hired us hoping for a Deferred as he did not think we could get his cases dismissed. He and a friend pulled away from a light late at night in Humble when a 3rd party started driving crazy, cutting them off and brake checking them. They responded with similar behavior but when stopped Rene fabricated a story that the other guy had hit him and he was chasing him while calling 911. After the officer refuted it based on evidence, Rene admitted his lie. A gun was found in his backpack during the arrest. We used testimony from his friend/witness and strong negotiating to satisfy the DA’s office and obtain Dismissals of both charges. We also got him his gun back.

UNLAWFUL CARRYING OF A WEAPON
Case No. 2151382 – Cameron D.

DISMISSED August 10

Cameron was stopped for texting while driving. The officer smelled marijuana, searched and found the marijuana – as well as his father’s Smith & Wesson.

We fought for Cameron to be allowed to meet several conditions (which he did) in exchange for a Dismissal.

UNLAWFUL CARRYING OF A WEAPON
Case No. 2146276 – Eric K.

DISMISSED June 28

Eric was pulled over for an expired registration tag & subsequently charged with altering the sticker because it did not match the VIN number. During the inventory search 2 loaded pistols were found inside his duffel bag. We advised client on what to do, argued the cases to obtain Dismissals of both charges & filed a Motion to Restore Property to get his guns back.

UNLAWFUL CARRYING OF A WEAPON
Case No. 2004009 – Guy L.

DISMISSED

Guy’s car was legally searched due to an outstanding traffic warrant. A gun was found under the seat but the officer lied & said it was in plain view. Complicating the case, a 2^nd gun was found dismantled inside a box in plain view. Both guns were confiscated. Guy planned to become a licensed bodyguard so a Dismissal was imperative. We negotiated a gun safety class by a certain deadline to be followed by a Dismissal. Despite picking up a 2^nd UCAW case while out on bond for this case, and missing his gun class deadline due to his busy schedule, we were able to re-negotiate the deal, get him more time and save the Dismissal.

UNLAWFUL CARRYING OF A WEAPON
Case No. 2002853 – Aditya A.

DISMISSED

Client was charged with a suspended license and UCAW: He had a concealed gun in the car – against the law if committing another offense–in his case–the DWLS. We got both cases dismissed and an Order from the judge restoring his gun.

UNLAWFUL CARRYING OF A WEAPON
Case No. 1474907 – Kenny L.

DISMISSED

Kenny was a senior engineering student at UH when he caught this case.  He hired Mr. Haggard as the most-qualified to fight it since he didn’t want begin his job search with a weapon conviction.  His car was being searched for Marihuana when a handgun was found underneath the seat.  Our defense included witness testimony that Kenny had recently picked up his gun from a friend’s house.

UNLAWFUL CARRYING OF A WEAPON
Case No. 1702143 – Gary A.

DISMISSED

Gary had his CHL license but at the time of his arrest it was expired. He returned home one evening to find his neighbor’s house under a fire investigation. In a classic example of police inefficiency, he obtained permission to cross the fire line to check on his home’s security, then began taking photos of the crime scene but was questioned by the fire chief who suspected him of arson, then was arrested by another officer for crossing the fire line several times. We used videotaped evidence, crime scene photos, maps and corroborating statements of how other neighbors at the scene were treated. The arresting officer may have been covering his mistake for arresting Gary for crossing the fire line [he had been given permission by another officer] since he fabricated portions of the Offense Report such as that our client was flashing his handgun.

*Case Referred by NRA*

UNLAWFUL CARRYING OF A WEAPON
Case No. 1672339 – Dustin S.

DISMISSED

Dustin was the lawful holder of a valid CHL [Concealed Handgun License] at the time of his wrongful arrest for unlawful carrying of a weapon. He was stopped late at night with two other passengers in his vehicle on a “no turn signal” pretext. He admitted to drinking but was never tested for DWI. One of his passengers was arrested for felony POM after a search. Dustin gave police his CHL and told them he had his handgun inside his console; it was inside the holster and a bullet was in the chamber. We believe police wanted to arrest him initially for the MJ but being unable to get charges filed went for the weapon offense instead despite the fact he had a CHL and informed police of the fact. This defense as well as our crime scene diagrams which revealed police had probable cause only to deal with the passenger with MJ, led to our Dismissal.

UNLAWFUL CARRYING OF A WEAPON
Case No. 1564859 – Zaigham U.

DISMISSED

Zaigham was on foot after abandoning his wrecked vehicle. A friend’s gun was inside the vehicle. Zaigham secured it in his pocket and left the scene on foot. He flagged down an officer for help and immediately divulged the presence of the weapon, and the reason why he had it, but the officer overzealously charged him with unlawfully carrying a weapon.

UNLAWFUL CARRYING A WEAPON
Case No. 1452122 – William S.

DISMISSED

For Bill, the holder of a medical license registered with the State of Texas, a guilty plea was not an option. This case involved an unchained pit bull that had days earlier molested his wife in a frightening incident. On the day in question, needing to cross his street and observing the same pit bull roaming loose, he carried a gun with him for protection. Prior to this, he had called 911 for assistance yet a subsequent call to 911 by a witness automatically prejudiced the police, who spent several hours trying to obtain enough evidence for an Aggravated Assault charge. Failing this, he was arrested for carrying a weapon despite many mitigating circumstances in his favor. Using firearms law and carefully laying out the many circumstances – how our client carried the gun, why he had it out in the first place, where he carried it, all of the background leading up to the incident, witness and character statements including from retired military, among other legal defenses, Mr. Haggard won a Dismissal and protected our client’s medical license.

UNLAWFUL CARRYING A WEAPON
Case No. 1420047 – John M.

DISMISSED

John was stopped while transporting his unloaded gun to a safer location. The gun was found on the floor of the van. Using photos and several witness affidavits to show that the transport of the gun was connected with a larger move of our client’s furnishings, and that the reason for the transport of the gun was to make it inaccessible to children, as well as the law regarding the conditions under which one may carry a gun, Mr. Haggard was able to obtain a Dismissal.

UNLAWFUL CARRYING A WEAPON
Case No. 1321478 – Devon W.

DISMISSED

Devon had a prior criminal history and a pending case at the time of his arrest on this weapons charge. After a minor accident, police discovered a gun with a clip in our client’s trunk which a friend had put there without our client’s knowledge. Mr. Haggard skillfully used witness testimony, the evidence, and persuasion, among other legal defenses, to obtain this Dismissal.

UNLAWFUL CARRYING A WEAPON
Case No. 1353050 – Reginald B.

DISMISSED

Reggie was parking at his residence and getting out of his car when approached by police on warrants. The gun was visible in a holster on our client’s person as he was transporting it from his car to his house.

UNLAWFUL CARRYING A WEAPON
Case No. 1213607 – Mark S.

DISMISSED

Mark was carrying a gun in his car. At the time of his arrest, he was in the process of becoming certified to carry a concealed weapon but had not yet completed all of his requirements. Mr. Haggard, a strong believer in gun rights and holder of a concealed-carry license himself, was able to convince the Prosecutors of the importance of the license for our client and to obtain enough time for him to complete his requirements to obtain his concealed carry license, after which he obtained a Dismissal. This case is now eligible to be expunged.

UNLAWFUL CARRYING A WEAPON
Case No. [Expunged by Mr. Haggard.] – Marlon M.

DISMISSED

Marlon was driving his mother’s car in which she had left her gun. Our client had witnesses against him who told police he was aware of the gun’s presence in the car, as he had been boasting about it to his friends.

Mr. Haggard is a very wise man that fights hard ’til the end. He didn’t back down from the D.A.
~ Marlon M.

UNLAWFUL CARRYING A WEAPON JUVENILE CASE
Case No. 2001-106105 – Elias V.

DISMISSED ON MOTION TO SUPPRESS EVIDENCE

In this case our client did have an illegal weapon but the search was illegal and in violation of our client’s constitutional rights. We crafted a legally sound Motion to Suppress Evidence and argued the case do Dismissal.