US President Joe Biden’s son Hunter Biden faces criminal charges

Hunter Biden, US President Joe Biden’s son has been indicted by the US Justice Department.

He has been indicted on three charges related to illegal firearm purchases. This marks a historic moment as he is the first child of a sitting US president to be criminally prosecuted.

The indictment is based on three counts of allegedly lying on federal forms while acquiring a firearm.

Biden purchased a Colt revolver, from a Delaware gun store in October 2018 while falsifying his mental state, according to the indictment. Court documents reveal that he kept the firearm for 11 days, during which he was reportedly a heavy user of controlled substances.

Under US federal law, it is a criminal offence – to lie on firearm purchase documentation and to possess a firearm while allegedly being a drug user.

If convicted, the president’s son could potentially face a maximum penalty of 25 years in prison, although actual sentences for federal crimes tend to be less severe than the maximum possible penalties.

Biden charged after plea deal falls through

Previously, there was an attempt to reach a plea agreement to resolve the gun and tax-related charges. As part of the deal, Biden would also have been required to admit to the illegal possession of the firearm.

However, this plea agreement fell apart in July when US District Court Judge Maryellen Noreika expressed reservations, describing the proposed resolution of the gun-related offence as “unusual.”

These charges were brought forth by Justice Department Special Counsel Davis Weiss, who was appointed by Attorney General Merrick Garland in August. Weiss aimed to issue his indictmentby September 29, marking a pivotal moment in the ongoing legal tussle.

The US President’s son’s legal troubles have not only drawn significant attention but have also become a political focal point, as President Joe Biden seeks re-election in 2024.

In recent developments, Republican leaders in the US House of Representatives initiated an impeachment inquiry into President Biden, with allegations surrounding his role in his son’s business dealings and claims of obstruction of the investigation into Hunter Biden’s tax returns by the Department of Justice.