A jury has found Hunter Biden guilty on all three counts in a federal gun case, the first time a close relative of an American president has been convicted during his term in office. He will be sentenced at a later date.
Biden was found guilty on two counts of making false statements in connection with the acquisition of a firearm and one count of possession of a firearm by a person who is an unlawful user of a controlled substance.
The case concerned Biden’s possession of a firearm for 11 days, from October 12 through October 23 in 2018, while he was known to be using drugs, specifically crack cocaine.
Biden could face a maximum sentence of 25 years in prison though legal experts say jail time is unlikely because it’s a non-violent offense and the president’s son had not previously been convicted of a crime.
Sentencing is expected within four months but no date was immediately announced.
In a statement released after his conviction, Biden said he was grateful for the support of his loved ones and friends. “Recovery is possible by the grace of Gold, and I am blessed to experience that gift one day at a time,” he said.
President Biden, in a separate statement, said he and his wife are “so proud” of the man he is now.
“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,” President Biden said in a statement.
He added: “As I also said last week, I will accept the outcome of this case and will continue to respect the judicial process as Hunter considers an appeal. 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.”
