When a teenager is charged and subsequently convicted of a juvenile crime, the consequences can be severe. Many claim that the point of such juvenile justice is to get the youth back on track and on their way to becoming a productive member of society.
According to a recent report, five teens are now facing charges after an alleged gun shop burglary. The teens are accused of crashing their vehicle into the Marksman Firearms Training Center in Newport News and stealing at least 24 guns.
The day after the incident, police responded to a call about gun shots and found one of the weapons nearby. The police took a 14-year-old boy into custody. The boy told police that he got the gun from another teen. That person and an 18-year-old reportedly admitted to breaking into the Marksman. Police continued to locate stolen guns from the store and round up the suspects. A total of four juveniles and the 18-year-old were arrested.
The 18-year-old is being charged with eight felonies and a misdemeanor, including breaking and entering and grand larceny. The other teens are being charged with various crimes, including: possession of a stolen firearm by a convicted felon and possession of a firearm by a juvenile, conspiracy to commit a felony, grand larceny, receiving a stolen firearm and discharging a firearm in a public place.
With so much on the line, teenagers facing serious charges like these can be scared about what’s to come. But, some of these charges may be dismissed or lessened with the right defense strategy. This will give the teen an opportunity to have a normal future.
Source: WAVY, “Five teens charged in connection with stolen firearms case,” Jane Alvarez-Wertz, Oct. 7, 2015
