Hunter Biden, son of President Joe Biden, was found guilty on the 11th (local time).
According to media outlets, the jury found Hunter Biden guilty on all three felony charges brought by the special counsel related to his purchase of a revolver handgun in October 2018.
The court accepted the special counsel’s claim that Hunter falsely stated on the mandatory purchase application form that he had never illegally used a firearm or been addicted to drugs.
The special counsel argued that Hunter Biden lied on the gun purchase application form submitted to a federally licensed firearms dealer, stating that he had not used illegal drugs and had not possessed a gun illegally in the past 11 days. The jury accepted this argument.
Testimonies from Hunter’s ex-wife and ex-girlfriend were among the decisive factors leading to the guilty verdict.
They testified that Hunter had a pipe used for smoking crack, a synthetic drug, and other tools necessary for drugs.
This guilty verdict could result in Hunter’s facing a maximum of 25 years in prison and a fine of $750,000.
However, it is unlikely that he will receive a severe prison sentence. Although he did illegally possess a gun, he did not use it for violence. This was also his first offense.
The sentencing hearing will take place in September. However, a specific date has not been confirmed.
Hunter’s guilty verdict is expected to be a serious political burden for his father, President Joe Biden.
It is uncertain what negative impact the guilty verdict of Biden’s son will have on the election trend, as the gap between Biden and Donald Trump narrowed in competitive states after the former president was found guilty in a hush money trial.
There is a high possibility that Biden will struggle with the so-called son risk.
Hunter was indicted last year by special counsel David Weiss.
This is the first time in U.S. history that a sitting president’s child has been criminally charged.