Hunter Biden, the son of President Joe Biden, has been indicted by special counsel David Weiss on firearms charges on Thursday. It is the first instance in the history of the United States where the child of a current president has been charged by the Justice Department.
According to court documents , Hunter Biden is facing three federal charges related to possessing a gun as a drug user and providing false statements.
Indictment Details:
The three charges against Hunter Biden include making false statements on a federal firearms form and possession of a firearm as a prohibited person.
Investigation Timeline:
Special counsel David Weiss has been leading the investigation into Hunter Biden since late 2018. Initially, a plea agreement was reached in June, with Hunter Biden agreeing to plead guilty to two federal tax misdemeanors, and a “diversion agreement” where the gun charge would be dropped in two years if he met certain conditions. However, this agreement fell apart under scrutiny in July, leading to Weiss being granted special counsel privileges in August.
Firearm Purchase in 2018:
The charges stem from a firearm purchased by Hunter Biden in October 2018, which he possessed for about 11 days. During the purchase at a Delaware gun shop, he allegedly lied on a federal form by stating that he was neither using nor addicted to illegal drugs. Prosecutors claim that he was struggling with crack cocaine addiction at the time of the purchase.
The Charges:
The three-count indictment includes:
- Lying on an ATF form when purchasing the gun, by falsely stating that he wasn’t addicted to illegal drugs.
- Lying to the federally licensed gun dealer in Wilmington regarding the same sworn statement on the ATF form.
- Illegally possessing a gun while using or being addicted to drugs, which is a federal crime. He possessed the gun for 11 days in 2018.
Hunter Biden’s Response:
Hunter Biden’s lawyer, Abbe Lowell, has criticized the indictment as politically motivated. Lowell stated, “As expected, prosecutors filed charges today that they deemed were not warranted just six weeks ago following a five-year investigation into this case.”
What’s Next:
Hunter Biden is currently in California, and the plan for his self-surrender or initial appearance is yet to be determined. According to CNN, if found guilty on all charges, his potential penalties could include a maximum prison sentence of 25 years and fines totaling $750,000. Moreover, Weiss is contemplating the possibility of pursuing tax-related charges against Hunter Biden, suggesting that a trial regarding the tax offenses is necessary.
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