Wilmington jury on Tuesday indicted Hunter Biden on federal gun charges in the historic felony conviction of the son of a sitting U.S. president.
The 54-year-old son of President Joe Biden was convicted in 2018 of three counts of buying a gun while he was addicted to cocaine.
The decision comes as his father seeks re-election, and the Democratic president has changed his plans to fly to Wilmington, Delaware, where his family is attending a hearing.
As the Marines landed at Delaware Air National Guard Base, Hunter Biden waited on the dock and his 81-year-old father gave him a warm hug before getting on his motorcycle.
“Many families who have experienced a loved one’s addiction understand the sense of pride in seeing their loved one come out on the other side and become strong and resilient in recovery.
Hunter Biden did not appear in the week-long test that first lady Jill Biden attended for several days.
A first-time offender faces up to 25 years in prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set, but is expected in the next few months.
After the verdict, special counsel David Weiss, who prosecuted Hunter Biden, spoke to reporters.
“Everyone, even this defendant, should be held accountable for what they did.”
Weiss said the work isn’t just about addiction.
“This case is about the defendant making an illegal choice during his drug addiction, lying to the government when he bought a gun, and owning that gun,” Weiss said.
The lawsuit comes less than two weeks after Donald Trump, Republican Joe Biden’s likely opponent in the November presidential election, was indicted on business fraud charges.
The case, along with Hunter Biden’s other lawsuit over tax evasion charges in California, has complicated efforts by Democrats to focus on former President Trump, the candidate’s first crime in the election.
In addition to political interference, Hunter Biden’s legal problems have opened up deep emotional wounds for the family since his drug addiction.
His brother Beau died of cancer in 2015, and his sister Naomi died as a baby in a car accident in 1972, while their mother, Neilia, was Joe Biden’s first wife.
Alejandro, a trained lawyer and lobbyist, was accused of not using drugs when he bought a .38 caliber revolver in 2018.
He was also charged with illegal possession of firearms for just 11 days in October of that year.
He has long been a target of far-right Republicans, and Trump allies have long investigated him over allegations of congressional corruption and influence peddling. No charges were filed.
Hunter Biden’s actions in China and Ukraine have provided the basis for Republican lawmakers’ impeachment efforts against his father. This effort went nowhere.
The Trump campaign cited the suspension of Hunter Biden because of baseless allegations against the Biden family.
Trump campaign spokeswoman Caroline Leavitt said: “This case is nothing more than the true crime of the Biden crime family, which made tens of millions of dollars in profits from China, Russia and Ukraine.”
White said there will be no presidential pardon for Hunter Biden.
