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December 05, 2025 Clouds | 26°F
The 194th General Court of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts

Section 18A: Dangerous weapon; assault in dwelling house; punishment

  Section 18A. Whoever, being armed with a dangerous weapon, enters a dwelling house and while therein assaults another with intent to commit a felony shall be punished by imprisonment in the state prison for life, or for a term of not less than ten years. No person imprisoned under this paragraph shall be eligible for parole in less than five years.

[ Second paragraph effective until October 2, 2024. For text effective October 2, 2024, see below.]

  Whoever, being armed with a dangerous weapon defined as a firearm, shotgun, rifle or assault weapon, enters a dwelling house and while therein assaults another with intent to commit a felony shall be punished by imprisonment in the state prison for a term of not less than ten years. Such person shall not be eligible for parole prior to the expiration of ten years.

[ Second paragraph as amended by 2024, 135, Sec. 98 effective October 2, 2024. For text effective until October 2, 2024, see above.]

  Whoever, being armed with a dangerous weapon defined as a firearm, as defined in section 121 of chapter 140, enters a dwelling house and while therein assaults another with intent to commit a felony shall be punished by imprisonment in the state prison for a term of not less than ten years. Such person shall not be eligible for parole prior to the expiration of ten years.