Hunter Biden, son of US President Joe Biden, was found guilty on all three charges by a 12-member jury in a federal court in Wilmington, Delaware.
The charges stemmed from allegations that he lied about his drug use to unlawfully purchase a firearm. This marked the first instance of a child of a sitting US president being convicted of a crime. Following the verdict, Hunter Biden showed little reaction, briefly acknowledging his legal team before leaving the courthouse without making a statement.
In response to the verdict, President Biden issued a statement expressing acceptance of the outcome and commitment to respecting the judicial process as his son considers an appeal. Although no sentencing date was set, it is typically within 120 days, possibly occurring close to the upcoming presidential election. While sentencing guidelines suggest 15 to 21 months for the gun charges, legal experts anticipate a potentially shorter sentence, especially if Hunter Biden complies with pretrial release conditions.
Despite these legal troubles, a Reuters/Ipsos poll in February indicated that around 61% of registered voters saw Hunter Biden’s situation as having no impact on their decision to vote for his father in the upcoming election. Notably, this trial follows the May 30 criminal conviction of former President Donald Trump, who became the first former US president to be found guilty of a felony.
