Hunter Biden’s legal woes are not over after his conviction on three felony firearms charges in a trial that put a spotlight on his drug-fueled past
Hunter Biden’s legal woes are not over after his conviction on three felony firearms charges in a trial that put a spotlight on his drug-fueled past.
Now, President Joe Biden’s son faces sentencing, and another criminal trial on tax charges in the middle of his father’s reelection campaign.
Jurors found Hunter Biden guilty on Tuesday after just three hours of deliberations over two days in the federal court in Wilmington, Delaware. The case stemmed from a gun Hunter Biden bought in 2018 while, as prosecutors say, he was in the throes of a crack cocaine addiction.
Here’s a look at what’s next for Hunter Biden:
He was convicted of lying on a mandatory gun purchase form by saying he was not illegally using or addicted to drugs.
The three counts carry up to 25 years in prison. But whether the president’s son actually serves any time behind bars will be up to U.S. District Judge Maryellen Noreika. The judge, who was nominated to the bench by former Republican president Donald Trump, didn’t immediately set a date for sentencing.
In the federal system, first-time offenders don’t get anywhere near the maximum sentence. Federal sentencing guidelines — which judges use as they weigh punishments for defendants — are expected to recommend a far lighter punishment. And judges aren’t bound by the guidelines, so she could decide not to send him to prison at all. Other options include probation or home detention.
In pressing the judge not to put him behind bars, defense lawyers will likely note that, unlike many illegal firearm possession cases, Hunter Biden’s gun was not used in a crime. Hunter Biden never even fired the gun, which he had for 11 days before it got thrown in the trash, his lawyers have said.
The defense will also likely emphasize that Hunter Biden has since turned his life around. He has said he has been sober since 2019. Also, there have been no reported violations of his conditions of release, including that he continues to abstain from drugs and alcohol and participate in a recovery program.
