Virginia law §§ 19.2-152.15 and 19.2-152.16 govern the return and disposal of firearms held by law enforcement and prohibit false statements to law enforcement officers. Firearms taken into custody must be returned upon court order or when certain conditions are met, with specific procedures for disposal if unclaimed. Making false statements to law enforcement is a criminal offense with penalties.
Law enforcement must return a firearm within five days of receiving a written request from the person from whom it was taken, provided certain legal conditions are met.
A firearm can be disposed of if the person provides written authorization or if it remains unclaimed more than 120 days after the person is no longer subject to an order and has not requested its return.
They must confirm that the person is no longer subject to an order issued under §§ 19.2-152.13 or 19.2-152.14 and that they are not legally prohibited from possessing a firearm.
Making knowingly false material statements to law enforcement officers or attorneys during their official conduct is a criminal offense with associated penalties, including potential fines or imprisonment.