DAUPHIN COUNTY, Pa. – William C. Braswell, 36 of Harrisburg, was sentenced today for filing a false license to carry a firearm application with the Dauphin County Sheriff’s Department. Braswell pleaded guilty to one count of Unsworn Falsification, a misdemeanor, and was sentenced to six months of probation and a fine of $200.
In July of 2015, Braswell filled out a license to carry application and certified that he was eligible to obtain a license. The Sheriff’s Department ran a records check which revealed that Braswell pleaded guilty in 2003 to a felony drug charge that would make him ineligible to obtain a license to carry.
The Dauphin County District Attorney’s Office reviews rejected applications to determine if charges should be filed. If a person files an application and lies on the form, it is a crime. Senior Deputy District Attorney Stephen R. Zawisky, who is assigned to the review program, stated:
“Individuals need to know whether or not they are eligible to obtain a license to carry and whether they can even possess a firearm. We have seen an increase in people who are filing applications as a shot in the dark to see if they can get a license. If a person files an application and falsely asserts they are eligible, they will be prosecuted.”
Under Pennsylvania law, a person may be ineligible to obtain a license to carry a firearm for various reasons such as: certain prior convictions, certain prior juvenile adjudications and any type of conviction or juvenile adjudication involving drug charges.
