Weapons Offense in Arlington County

Weapons offense cases in Arlington County are dismissed at a substantially higher rate than across Virginia, with 72.3 percent of the 782 cases ending in dismissal compared to the statewide average of 57.9 percent. This 14.4 percentage point gap suggests Arlington County prosecutors and courts handle weapons charges more conservatively than the state norm, resulting in conviction in just 26.8 percent of cases. The acquittal rate remains minimal at 0.9 percent, indicating that most cases that proceed to trial result in conviction, but the majority never reach that stage.

When weapons charges do move forward, they often get reduced rather than prosecuted as charged. About 8 percent of cases see the charge reduced, with more than half becoming nonviolent felon possession of gun charges. The remaining reductions split between concealed carry violations and drug-related gun possession. Among defendants convicted or pleading guilty, sentences average roughly two years and nine months, though the median is closer to two years, suggesting some cases involve substantially longer prison terms that pull the average upward.