Hunter Biden has been found guilty of all three felony charges linked to his acquisition of a revolver in 2018.
Prosecutors claimed that the son of the president had deceived a licensed gun dealer by falsely stating on the gun purchase form that he was not involved in illegal drug use.
The jury convicted Hunter Biden of lying about his drug use, submitting false information on the application, and unlawfully possessing the gun for a period of 11 days.
Hunter Biden could potentially receive a sentence of up to 25 years from Judge Maryellen Noreika, although first-time offenders typically do not receive the maximum penalty.
It remains uncertain whether he will be incarcerated.
This development comes at a significant time as Hunter Biden, along with Donald Trump, the likely Republican presidential candidate and President Joe Biden’s main political adversary, have both been found guilty by American jurors in an election year dominated not only by campaign activities and rallies but also by legal proceedings.
Joe Biden has been cautious in his response to his son Hunter Biden’s trial, avoiding interference in the legal process.
Despite both Hunter Biden and Trump claiming they were victims of political bias, Joe Biden accepted the verdict and ruled out pardoning his son.
Hunter Biden still faces tax charges in California, and Republicans plan to continue pursuing him. The trial highlighted Hunter’s drug addiction through personal testimonies and evidence, emphasizing his struggle with substance abuse.
The prosecution aimed to show that Hunter’s drug addiction led to his false statements on the gun purchase form.
The defense argued that Hunter Biden’s state of mind differed between writing his book and purchasing the gun, suggesting he may have perceived a drinking, not a drug, problem at the time.
The jury deliberates in the federal gun case against Hunter Biden.
Questions arose about the gun after Beau Biden’s widow found it in Hunter’s truck, leading to its retrieval from a trash can. Hunter Biden accused the Justice Department of political pressure in his indictment, which occurred after an investigation led by David Weiss.
Despite a proposed agreement falling through with Judge Noreika, the case proceeded.