Joe Biden’s son Hunter found guilty of gun crimes, faces up to 25 years in jail

US President Joe Biden’s son, Hunter Biden, was found guilty on all three counts related to illegal gun possession. The jury found Hunter Biden guilty on the first count of lying about drug use when buying a firearm.

Hunter Biden faces up to 10 years in prison on the first count, five years on the second count and another 10 years on the third count when he is sentenced, as per a report by the Associated Press.

The 12-member jury had begun deliberations on Monday in the Hunter Biden case. The federal court in Wilmington, Delaware, convicted Hunter Biden on Tuesday.

Hunter Biden is the first child of a sitting US President to be convicted of a crime.

Hunter Biden had pleaded not guilty to three felony charges accusing him of failing to disclose his use of illegal drugs when he bought a Colt Cobra .38-caliber revolver and of illegally possessing the weapon for 11 days in October 2018.

The judge on Tuesday did not set a date for Hunter Biden’s sentencing, but added the timeline is usually within 120 days.

This means that the sentencing would take place before the November 5 US presidential election.

Notably, later today, President Joe Biden is set to speak at a conference hosted by Everytown for Gun Safety Action Fund.

ABOUT THE CASE

Hunter Biden, son of US President Joe Biden, was under investigation for possible criminal activities, including issues related to his taxes and a gun purchase.

In 2018, Hunter Biden bought a gun. When buying a gun in the US, an individual has to fill out a form and answer questions, including one about drug use. Hunter Biden had allegedly answered “no” to the question about drug use, but he was reportedly using them at the time.

In September 2023, Hunter Biden was charged with three criminal counts related to this gun purchase. These charges include lying on the federal form about his drug use and possessing the gun while being a drug user.

Earlier in 2023, Hunter had reached a plea deal to resolve the charges without going to trial. However, this deal fell apart, and he was later formally indicted.

Hunter Biden had pleaded not guilty to the charges. However, the Delaware trial included prosecution testimony by Hunter’s ex-wife, former girlfriend and sister-in-law, who gave first-hand accounts of his spiralling addiction in the weeks before and after he bought the gun in October 2018.

Hunter Biden was convicted of all three gun crimes on Tuesday.