A federal jury has found US President Joe Biden’s son, Hunter Biden guilty on three felony charges related to firearms, concluding that he violated laws intended to prevent individuals with drug addiction from possessing firearms, CNN reports.
This conviction marks a historic moment, as it is the first time an immediate family member of a president has been found guilty of a crime during their father’s term in office.
Although the crimes occurred before Joe Biden’s presidency, the jury deliberated for nearly three hours before returning guilty verdicts on all three charges.
The charges stemmed from a revolver Hunter Biden purchased at a Delaware gun shop in October 2018. Specifically, he was found guilty of lying about his drug use on a federal background check form (counts one and two) and possessing a gun while struggling with drug addiction or using illegal drugs (count three).
Hunter Biden faces a maximum sentence of 25 years in prison and a $750,000 fine, although as a first-time offender, he is likely to receive a significantly lower sentence.
The verdict brings closure to a difficult chapter for the Biden family, who have been deeply invested in the legal proceedings.
Hunter Biden’s family members, including First Lady Jill Biden, have consistently shown their support by attending court hearings, with some even testifying on his behalf.
The conviction follows a lengthy investigation by the Justice Department, which began in 2018, and raises the stakes for his upcoming trial in September on federal tax offenses.
Both cases are being handled by special counsel David Weiss, who has denied allegations of political motivation.
The guilty verdicts vindicate Weiss’ team, and President Biden has already ruled out a pardon for his son.
The week-long trial shed light on Hunter Biden’s struggles with addiction, which he has publicly discussed, and featured emotional testimony about his personal struggles.
At the criminal trial earlier in June, the court heard from an FBI agent that Hunter texted that he used crack cocaine shortly after he illegally bought a gun in 2018.
An FBI agent testified in court that Hunter Biden, 54, sent a text message to his brother’s widow, stating “I’m sleeping on a car smoking crack,” just days after purchasing the firearm in question.