“Maintaining a Fortified Drug House” is considered a Class 5 felony. Virginia Code § 18.2-258.02 sets forth a the description of a prohibited “drug house” The code defines the term to mean any house or building that is somehow “altered” in such a way as to intentionally impede law enforcement, and where the house/building/etc. is used to make or distribute drugs. If you have been charged with any drug-related offense, seek an experienced local Virginia Beach or Norfolk Criminal Defense Attorney who can examine the necessary facts of your case, apply the law, and inform you of your rights going forward.
Another statute that punishes a similar crime is § 18.2-258; it punishes an owner for what the code refers to as a “common nuisance,” which can include a drug house operation. The crime is a class 1 misdemeanor – a subsequent offense, however, is a Class 6 felony.
“Setting a Spring Gun or Other Deadly Weapon” is another Class 6 felony. While it may sound like a strange statute, people have gone to great lengths in order to protect their property. Deadly force, however, is not considered “reasonable,” and “spring guns” were once used by some (think of a booby-trap involving a rigged gun). The courts have since stepped in, ruling that one may not use deadly force to protect property. See Virginia Code § 18.2-281. If you have been charged with any crime but you believe you acted appropriately – perhaps in defense of property or of another person – call your Virginia Beach Criminal Defense Attorney at once.