The son of a sitting president has been found guilty in a federal criminal court for the first time.
A Wilmington, Delaware, jury found Hunter Biden guilty on all three federal felony gun charges he faced Tuesday morning. He violated laws meant to prevent drug addicts from owning firearms, the jury decided.
The case related to his purchase of a revolver in 2018. The prosecution says he lied about his drug use when he bought the gun six years ago.
Tuesday marked the 12-member jury’s second day of deliberation in the criminal federal gun trial of President Joe Biden’s only living son in Wilmington. Hunter Biden pleaded not guilty.
Biden could face up to 25 years in prison and a fine of up to $750,000, though as a first-time offender, he is likely to receive a shorter sentence than the maximum. The sentence is up to the judge.
Hunter Biden lawyers are likely preparing a set of appeals, according to CNN chief legal affairs correspondent Paula Reid.
President Biden issued a brief statement on his son’s conviction. He committed to accept the outcome of the case and respect the judicial process.
“As I said last week, I am the President, but I am also a Dad,” the president said. “Jill and I love our son, and we are so proud of the man he is today. So many families who have had loved ones battle addiction understand the feeling of pride seeing someone you love come out the other side and be so strong and resilient in recovery.”
“Jill and I will always be there for Hunter and the rest of our family with our love and support. Nothing will ever change that,” President Biden continued.
“Yawn,” said Charlie Kirk, Turning Point USA founder and CEO, in response to the verdict.
Stephen Miller, a former senior adviser to Donald Trump, alleged the Department of Justice may be protecting President Biden from the verdict, interfering with the 2024 presidential election.
CNN speculates the president may overturn his only living son’s sentence.
Biden’s lawyers rested their case Monday without calling Biden to testify in his own defense. Biden’s attorney Abbe Lowell told the judge Friday that they were “down to that last decision” of whether to call the defendant.
The prosecution accused Biden of making two false statements when filling out the paperwork to purchase the revolver. The 54-year-old father of four claimed not to be addicted to or actively using illegal drugs when filling out the form, and he also claimed his statement was true. The prosecution alleges he was addicted to crack cocaine during that period. Prosecutors have also alleged that he unlawfully possessed the weapon for 11 days.
On Friday, the prosecution presented evidence of Biden’s crack cocaine addiction in the years leading up to and around the time he purchased a Colt Revolver in October 2018. Biden’s lawyers argue the prosecutors haven’t offered evidence their client was on drugs when he signed a federal form attesting that he was not using illegal substances, which he signed in order to buy the gun. The defense denies that Biden took drugs during the 11 days he possessed the gun.
The president said last week that he would accept the jury’s verdict and has ruled out a pardon for his son.
