A person charged in federal court as a felon-in-possession of a gun usually faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison. If the felon-in-possession has 3 prior convictions by any court for violent felonies or serious drug crimes, he is considered an "armed career criminal." They will face 15 years to life in prison. The judge cannot go below 15 years. Like with any other federal sentence, there is no parole.

Juvenile convictions count for the violent felonies, if the juvenile case involved a gun or knife. The cases can be very old, because there is no time limit. Juvenile drug crime cases do not count.

The armed career criminal law is harsh. It turns a 10 year maximum into a 15 year minimum.

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