In a historic turn of events, Hunter Biden has been convicted on all three federal felony gun charges he faced, making him the first president’s immediate family member to be found guilty of a crime during their father’s term in office. The verdict was reached by a federal jury after just under three hours of deliberation, with guilty verdicts on all charges stemming from a revolver purchased by Hunter Biden in October 2018 at a Delaware gun shop.
The first two counts were for lying about his drug use on a federal background check form, and the third count was for possessing a gun while addicted to, or using, illegal drugs. Hunter Biden could potentially face up to 25 years in prison and a fine of up to $750,000 at sentencing, which is expected to occur before Election Day. Special counsel David Weiss emphasized that the conviction was a result of the “illegal choices the defendant made while in the throes of addiction.”
In response to the verdict, Hunter Biden expressed disappointment but gratitude for the support he received from his family, friends, and community. President Biden stated that he will respect the outcome of the case and continue to support his son during this difficult time. The trial saw many members of the Biden family present in the courtroom, including first lady Jill Biden, who arrived shortly after the verdict was read.
The guilty verdicts mark a major vindication for the prosecution team led by Weiss, who has denied claims of political motivation behind the cases. The trial shed light on Hunter Biden’s struggles with addiction, with personal testimony from his former partners detailing the impact of his dependency on crack cocaine. Despite the defense team’s arguments, the jury found Hunter Biden guilty on all charges.
This landmark ruling comes as Hunter Biden faces a second trial in September on federal tax offenses. The outcome of this case will undoubtedly have a lasting impact on the Biden family and their ongoing legal battles.
