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What is the penalty for violating Rhode Island gun laws?
A penalty is the punishment someone gets for committing a crime. Below we explain the punishment included in the laws. However, the actual penalty can depend on the abuser’s prior criminal history, agreeing to a plea bargain, and many other factors. To find out what penalty the abuser might get, it’s best to ask the prosecutor handling the case.
| If the person has a gun and… | Then the penalty could be… |
|---|---|
| was convicted of a crime of violence | two to ten years in state prison.1 |
| is in community confinement or being monitored electronically as part of parole | two to ten years in state prison.1 |
| is a fugitive from justice | two to ten years in state prison.1 |
| was ordered to give up a gun in a restraining order but didn’t, and a judge ruled s/he was “in contempt” of the court order | up to one year in jail, a fine of up to $1,000, or both.2 |
To learn about the penalty for having a gun in violation of federal law, visit Will the abuser go to jail for having a gun when s/he isn’t supposed to? on our Federal Gun Laws page.
1 R.I. Gen. Laws § 11-47-5(a), (c), (d)
2 R.I. Gen. Laws §§ 15-15-3(h)(1), (i)(1); 8-8.1-3(g), (j)
