Not for nothing, but has there ever even been a AWB prosecution period in Mass? I don't mean some scumbag who shouldn't/couldn't have guns legally in the first place with a trumped up list of charges, but a regular Joe like one of us doing absolutely nothing other than possessing a AWB violation item.
I haven't seen an AWB prosecution for anyone, scumbag or not.
In what (admittedly limited) law/case searches I've done, I've
only ever been able to come up with people that got hit with "large
capacity device" convictions- but those were due to the fact that
the perp had no LTC/FID, and the cases had nothing to do with
AWB status of said devices. It's way easier to convict someone
of that, as it's basically a slam dunk if the guy possessed a mag
but had no LTC A/B.
That being said, there is some evidence circulating that DA's have
tried to research it, eg, with the intent of trying to hang someone
(major criminal or otherwise) on postban mag charges, I would
guess as a tack-on charge. (eg, they have tried to pester glock
about mag provenance, but glock told them to go screw because
even the company has no way of being sure when a given mag
was made. )
It is safe to say that for most folks a charge would not be
soley on possession, so to speak, but it might be one of those
deals where someone lawfully defends themselves, but the
anti gun prosecutor might be out for blood, and will certainly go for
the jugular if he/she can, if he finds out the guy's gun has a LEO
marked hicap in it or something else he can hang someone with.
Well, theres that and a bunch of other exigent circumstance
possibilities that could lead to trouble.... I could fill the page
with "what ifs" though. Any unplanned "more than cursory"
interaction with LE is basically a possible conviction if one has an
illegal item.
-Mike