Q: The offense was in 2006 and there were originally 2 counts and a simple assault. The simple assault was withdrawn as well as one of the two harassment charges.

A: 2709 subsections a 1, 2, 3 are summary offenses unless the offender has previously violated a PFA order involving the same victim, family or household member. In that case the grading would be enhanced to a misdemeanor 3. Subsections a 4, 5, 6 and 7 are graded as a misdemeanor 3’s. Under the firearms statute, you cannot possess a gun if you have been convicted of any crime punishable by over one year of incarceration. Misdemeanor 3’s are not and only punishable up to one year of incarceration. Summary offenses are only punishable up to 90 days in jail. As long as all your convictions are Summary offenses or misdemeanor 3’s, you should be eligible. Unless you expunged the higher crimes, you were charged with in the past, but which were withdrawn, like Simple Assault, (a misdemeanor 2) they will still show on your record which may cause you to be rejected upon applying. I would pay an attorney to file Partial Expungement Petitions for every crime you were not convicted of, wait till your record clears, then apply to purchase.