NRS 202.257 – Poseer un arma de fuego bajo la influencia

4. Will I lose my gun?

Possessing a gun while under the influence is a misdemeanor in Nevada. This means that if you are convicted, you will not lose your gun rights. However, if you are convicted of a felony, you will lose your gun rights. Additionally, if you are deemed a danger to yourself or others, a court may order you to surrender your firearms. It is important to consult with a criminal defense attorney to understand the potential consequences of your case.

5. Defenses

There are several potential defenses to a charge of possessing a gun while under the influence in Nevada. These include:

• Challenging the validity of the breath or blood test results;
• Arguing that you were not actually in possession of the gun;
• Claiming that you were not under the influence of drugs or alcohol;
• Asserting that you were not impaired by the drugs or alcohol in your system; or
• Showing that you were not aware that you were carrying a gun.

It is important to discuss your case with a criminal defense attorney to determine the best defense strategy for your specific situation.

6. Record Seals

If you are convicted of possessing a gun while under the influence in Nevada, you may be eligible to have your criminal record sealed after a certain amount of time has passed. This means that the conviction will not appear on most background checks and you can legally say that you have not been convicted of a crime. The waiting period to seal a misdemeanor conviction is one year after the case is closed. It is important to consult with a criminal defense attorney to determine if you are eligible for a record seal.

7. Additional Reading

For more information on related offenses, please see our articles on:

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  Tenga en cuenta que este delito es un delito menor, ya sea que sea su primer delito o un delito sucesivo. A diferencia de DUI, la posesión de un arma de fuego ebrio no conlleva castigos más severos con cada condena.

  4. ¿Perderé mi arma?

  Si es declarado culpable de poseer un arma de fuego bajo la influencia en Nevada, es posible que tenga que renunciar a su arma si:

  • Mostró el arma,
  • Aimó el arma, o
  • Manejó el arma de manera que puso en peligro a otros o la salud y seguridad pública.⁵

  Simplemente manejar el arma de manera peligrosa es suficiente para justificar la confiscación. No es necesario que se dispare el arma. Además, no importa si es un arma descargada o cargada.

  Ejemplo: Tom y Tim salen del Green Valley Ranch ebrios. Tom mantiene las manos en los bolsillos y nunca toca el arma en su funda. Mientras tanto, Tim mantiene su arma en la mano mientras agita los brazos para mantener el equilibrio.

  Si tanto Tom como Tim son declarados culpables de violar NRS 202.257, es probable que Tom pueda conservar el arma porque nunca la usó de manera peligrosa. Sin embargo, como Tim mantuvo el control del arma mientras agitaba las manos y, por lo tanto, arriesgaba que una bala golpeara a alguien más, es posible que tenga que entregar el arma.

  5. Defensas

  Aquí en Las Vegas Defense Group, hemos representado literalmente a miles de personas acusadas de delitos relacionados con armas, como llevar un arma bajo la influencia de alcohol o drogas. En nuestra experiencia, las siguientes cuatro defensas han demostrado ser muy efectivas con los fiscales y jueces.

  1. Su BAC era legal y no estaba bajo los efectos. Tal vez el equipo de prueba de aliento o sangre que usó la policía estaba defectuoso. O tal vez la persona que operó el equipo no estaba autorizada o no siguió el protocolo adecuado. O tal vez la policía se equivocó al pensar que estaba bajo los efectos. Si el fiscal no puede demostrar más allá de una duda razonable que tenía un BAC de al menos 0.08% o estaba demasiado comprometido para manejar armas de fuego, el cargo debería ser desestimado.
     
  2. No estaba en posesión física real del arma. NRS 202.257 solo se aplica si tenía, llevaba o tenía un arma bajo su control inmediato (como en su automóvil mientras conducía). No hubo “posesión física real” si alguien que no sea usted tenía el control exclusivo del arma o si el arma estaba en otra habitación. Si podemos demostrar que el arma en cuestión estaba fuera de su posesión física real, el caso debería ser desestimado.
  3. Estaba actuando en defensa propia en su hogar. La ley de Nevada le permite manejar un arma para defenderse en su residencia personal incluso si está ebrio. Por lo tanto, si podemos demostrar que estaba enfrentando una amenaza de daño físico inmediato y estaba usando el arma como una forma razonable de defensa propia en su hogar, el juez debería desestimar el caso.
  4. La policía no tenía causa probable para arrestarlo. La policía no puede arrestarlo a menos que tuvieran causa probable para creer que cometió el delito en cuestión. Si podemos demostrar que la policía no tenía suficiente evidencia para hacer un arresto legal, todo el caso podría ser desestimado.

  6. Sellados de registros

  Una condena en Nevada por llevar un arma bajo la influencia puede ser sellada un año después de que termine el caso. Aunque si el cargo es desestimado, puede solicitar un sellado de registros de inmediato.⁶

  Aprenda cómo sellar registros penales en Nevada.

  Es ilegal para una persona que:

  (a) Tenga una concentración de alcohol de 0.08 o más en su sangre o aliento; o

  (b) Esté bajo la influencia de cualquier sustancia controlada, o esté bajo la influencia combinada de licor intoxicante y una sustancia controlada, o cualquier persona que inhale, ingiera, aplique o use de otra manera cualquier producto químico, veneno o solvente orgánico, o cualquier compuesto o combinación de cualquiera de estos, en un grado que lo incapacite para ejercer de manera segura el control físico real de un arma de fuego, tener en su posesión física real cualquier arma de fuego.

• Nevada Revised Statute 202.257 – Possession of firearm when under influence of alcohol, controlled substance or other intoxicating substance; administration of evidentiary test; penalty; forfeiture of firearm.
  

  Any person who violates the provisions of subsection 1 is guilty of a misdemeanor. Upon conviction, the court shall:

  (a) For a first offense, order the person to pay a fine of not less than $500 nor more than $1,000 and to perform not less than 48 hours nor more than 96 hours of community service.

  (b) For a second offense within 7 years after the date of the first offense, order the person to pay a fine of not less than $1,000 nor more than $2,000 and to perform not less than 100 hours nor more than 200 hours of community service.

  (c) For a third or subsequent offense within 7 years after the date of the first offense, order the person to pay a fine of not less than $2,000 nor more than $5,000 and to perform not less than 200 hours nor more than 500 hours of community service.

  2. In addition to any other penalty, the court shall order the person to surrender any firearm in his or her possession to the sheriff of the county in which the person resides or to the chief of police of the city in which the person resides if the city has a full-time police department, or to the sheriff of the county in which the person resides if the city in which the person resides does not have a full-time police department. The sheriff or chief of police shall destroy the firearm or sell it at public auction. The proceeds of any sale must be paid to the county treasurer for credit to the county general fund.

  3. The provisions of this section do not apply to a person who is under the influence of a controlled substance which was lawfully obtained and taken in therapeutically appropriate amounts if the person is in possession of a valid registry identification card issued to him or her pursuant to the provisions of chapter 453A of NRS.

  4. As used in this section:

  (a) “Controlled substance” has the meaning ascribed to it in NRS 453.086.

  (b) “Firearm” has the meaning ascribed to it in NRS 202.253.

  (c) “Under the influence of a controlled substance” means that the person has a concentration of a controlled substance in his or her blood or urine that is equal to or greater than the amount set forth in subsection 2 of NRS 484C.110 for that particular substance.

  5. The provisions of this section do not apply to a person who is in possession of a firearm while he or she is on the premises of a facility that provides services for the treatment of alcohol or drug abuse if the firearm is:

  (a) Kept in the trunk of the person’s motor vehicle or in a locked container in the motor vehicle; and

  (b) Not taken out of the motor vehicle while the person is on the premises of the facility.

  6. The provisions of this section do not apply to a person who is in possession of a firearm while he or she is on the premises of a facility that provides services for the treatment of alcohol or drug abuse if the person is an employee of the facility and the firearm is:

  (a) Kept in the trunk of the employee’s motor vehicle or in a locked container in the motor vehicle; and

  (b) Not taken out of the motor vehicle while the employee is on the premises of the facility.

  7. The provisions of this section do not apply to a person who is in possession of a firearm while he or she is on the premises of a facility that provides services for the treatment of alcohol or drug abuse if the person is a peace officer as defined in NRS 289.150 and the firearm is:

  (a) Kept in the trunk of the peace officer’s motor vehicle or in a locked container in the motor vehicle; and

  (b) Not taken out of the motor vehicle while the peace officer is on the premises of the facility.

  8. The provisions of this section do not apply to a person who is in possession of a firearm while he or she is on the premises of a facility that provides services for the treatment of alcohol or drug abuse if the person is a security guard as defined in NRS 648.012 and the firearm is:

  (a) Kept in the trunk of the security guard’s motor vehicle or in a locked container in the motor vehicle; and

  (b) Not taken out of the motor vehicle while the security guard is on the premises of the facility.

  9. The provisions of this section do not apply to a person who is in possession of a firearm while he or she is on the premises of a facility that provides services for the treatment of alcohol or drug abuse if the person is a person who is employed by a private security company as defined in NRS 648.012 and the firearm is:

  (a) Kept in the trunk of the employee’s motor vehicle or in a locked container in the motor vehicle; and

  (b) Not taken out of the motor vehicle while the employee is on the premises of the facility.

  10. The provisions of this section do not apply to a person who is in possession of a firearm while he or she is on the premises of a facility that provides services for the treatment of alcohol or drug abuse if the person is a person who is employed by a private investigator’s agency as defined in NRS 648.012 and the firearm is:

  (a) Kept in the trunk of the employee’s motor vehicle or in a locked container in the motor vehicle; and

  (b) Not taken out of the motor vehicle while the employee is on the premises of the facility.

  11. The provisions of this section do not apply to a person who is in possession of a firearm while he or she is on the premises of a facility that provides services for the treatment of alcohol or drug abuse if the person is a person who is employed by a private patrol operator as defined in NRS 648.012 and the firearm is:

  (a) Kept in the trunk of the employee’s motor vehicle or in a locked container in the motor vehicle; and

  (b) Not taken out of the motor vehicle while the employee is on the premises of the facility.

  12. The provisions of this section do not apply to a person who is in possession of a firearm while he or she is on the premises of a facility that provides services for the treatment of alcohol or drug abuse if the person is a person who is employed by a private training facility as defined in NRS 648.012 and the firearm is:

  (a) Kept in the trunk of the employee’s motor vehicle or in a locked container in the motor vehicle; and

  (b) Not taken out of the motor vehicle while the employee is on the premises of the facility.

  13. The provisions of this section do not apply to a person who is in possession of a firearm while he or she is on the premises of a facility that provides services for the treatment of alcohol or drug abuse if the person is a person who is employed by a private uniformed security company as defined in NRS 648.012 and the firearm is:

  (a) Kept in the trunk of the employee’s motor vehicle or in a locked container in the motor vehicle; and

  (b) Not taken out of the motor vehicle while the employee is on the premises of the facility.

  14. The provisions of this section do not apply to a person who is in possession of a firearm while he or she is on the premises of a facility that provides services for the treatment of alcohol or drug abuse if the person is a person who is employed by a private security company as defined in NRS 648.012 and the firearm is:

  (a) Kept in the trunk of the employee’s motor vehicle or in a locked container in the motor vehicle; and

  (b) Not taken out of the motor vehicle while the employee is on the premises of the facility.

  15. The provisions of this section do not apply to a person who is in possession of a firearm while he or she is on the premises of a facility that provides services for the treatment of alcohol or drug abuse if the person is a person who is employed by a private security company as defined in NRS 648.012 and the firearm is:

  (a) Kept in the trunk of the employee’s motor vehicle or in a locked container in the motor vehicle; and

  (b) Not taken out of the motor vehicle while the employee is on the premises of the facility.

  16. The provisions of this section do not apply to a person who is in possession of a firearm while he or she is on the premises of a facility that provides services for the treatment of alcohol or drug abuse if the person is a person who is employed by a private security company as defined in NRS 648.012 and the firearm is:

  (a) Kept in the trunk of the employee’s motor vehicle or in a locked container in the motor vehicle; and

  (b) Not taken out of the motor vehicle while the employee is on the premises of the facility.

  17. The provisions of this section do not apply to a person who is in possession of a firearm while he or she is on the premises of a facility that provides services for the treatment of alcohol or drug abuse if the person is a person who is employed by a private security company as defined in NRS 648.012 and the firearm is:

  (a) Kept in the trunk of the employee’s motor vehicle or in a locked container in the motor vehicle; and

  (b) Not taken out of the motor vehicle while the employee is on the premises of the facility.

  18. The provisions of this section do not apply to a person who is in possession of a firearm while he or she is on the premises of a facility that provides services for the treatment of alcohol or drug abuse if the person is a person who is employed by a private security company as defined in NRS 648.012 and the firearm is:

  (a) Kept in the trunk of the employee’s motor vehicle or in a locked container in the motor vehicle; and

  (b) Not taken out of the motor vehicle while the employee is on the premises of the facility.

  19. The provisions of this section do not apply to a person who is in possession of a firearm while he or she is on the premises of a facility that provides services for the treatment of alcohol or drug abuse if the person is a person who is employed by a private security company as defined in NRS 648

  Esta prohibición no se aplica a la posesión física real de un arma de fuego por parte de una persona que se encontraba dentro de su residencia personal y tenía el arma en su posesión únicamente para autodefensa.

  Tenga en cuenta que la legislatura de Nevada redujo el límite de BAC de 0.10% a 0.08% en AB 291 (2019). Véase también Morton v. State (Nev.App. 2022) 517 P.3d 244.
• Véase también Byars v. State (2014) 130 Nev. 848, 336 P.3d 939.
• NRS 202.257 (“Cualquier prueba de evidencia para determinar si una persona ha violado las disposiciones del párrafo 1 debe ser administrada de la misma manera que una prueba de evidencia que se administra de conformidad con NRS 484C.160 a 484C.250, inclusive, excepto que se requiere la presentación a la prueba de evidencia de cualquier persona que sea solicitada por un oficial de policía. Si una persona a ser sometida a prueba no se somete a una prueba requerida según lo solicitado por un oficial de policía, el oficial puede solicitar una orden judicial o una orden judicial que ordene que se utilice la fuerza razonable en la medida necesaria para obtener las muestras de sangre de la persona a ser sometida a prueba, si el oficial tiene causa razonable para creer que la persona a ser sometida a prueba estaba en violación de esta sección.“). Missouri v. McNeely (2003) 569 U.S. 141, 133 S. Ct. 1552.
• NRS 202.257.
• Igual.
• NRS 179.245; NRS 179.255.