Hunter Biden
A jury in Delaware has found Hunter Biden guilty on all three felony gun charges.
The verdict, delivered in federal court in Wilmington, relates to his illegal possession of a firearm while using narcotics. Biden had pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Hunter Biden faced three felony counts tied to possessing a firearm while using drugs.
Two of these counts carry a maximum prison sentence of 10 years each, while the third carries a maximum of five years. Each count also has a maximum fine of $250,000.
The court heard emotional testimonies about Hunter Biden’s struggle with drug addiction from several women in his life.
His ex-wife, Kathleen Buhle, ex-girlfriend, Zoe Kestan, and Hallie Biden, the widow of his brother Beau Biden, all testified.
Hallie Biden, who had a romantic relationship with Hunter, discovered the firearm in his truck.
She testified that Hunter Biden was using drugs in October 2018 when he purchased the gun.
Text messages presented in court revealed that he was “sleeping on car smoking crack.”
Naomi Biden, Hunter Biden’s daughter, testified for the defense, stating that her father “seemed great” in late October 2018.
She did not notice any drug paraphernalia when she borrowed his truck, but she acknowledged her father’s struggle with addiction, noting that “after my Uncle (Beau Biden) died, things got bad.”
Hunter Biden bought a Colt Cobra .38 handgun on October 12, 2018, from StarQuest Shooters and Survival Supply in Wilmington.
Federal law prohibits users of illegal drugs from owning firearms, and prosecutors alleged that Biden lied about his drug use on the purchase form.
He owned the gun for 11 days before Hallie Biden found it and discarded it in a grocery store trash can.
She later testified that she intended to “pretend” she hadn’t disposed of it, but Hunter Biden texted her about the missing gun, expressing anger and concern.
The gun was found by an elderly man searching for recyclables and later recovered by Delaware police.
Years later, as prosecutors pursued unrelated tax charges against him, Hunter Biden was charged with the gun crimes.
Two of the three counts against Hunter Biden are related to the paperwork he filled out when purchasing the gun.
The form required information about his criminal record, drug use, and mental health.
Prosecutors claimed Biden made a false statement on the application by denying his drug use and lying to the licensed gun dealer.
The third count relates to his possession of the gun while battling an addiction to illegal drugs, which is a violation of federal law.
Hunter Biden’s defense team argued that prosecutors needed to prove he was using drugs on the exact day he bought the gun.
“It does not say have you ever been. It does not say have you ever used,” defense lawyer Abbe Lowell stated, emphasizing the form’s wording.
The defense also claimed that Hunter Biden was abusing alcohol, not drugs, during the period in question.
Hunter Biden could face a maximum sentence of 25 years in prison and fines totaling up to $750,000.
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