HUNTER Biden could face up to 25 years in prison if convicted of multiple felony gun charges directly tied to texts his first son sent claiming his then-girlfriend threw his gun in a dumpster.
Jury selection in the trial over Hunter’s alleged illegal purchase and possession of a gun while an active drug user began Monday in Wilmington, Delaware.
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In September 2023, a federal grand jury indicted Hunter, 54, on three felonies, including making false statements in the purchase of a firearm, providing false statements for information required to be maintained by a federally licensed firearms dealer, and possession of a firearm by an active drug user.
LAPTOP TEXTS
The charges stem from text messages sent by the president’s son to his therapist in December 2018, obtained from Hunter’s allegedly abandoned laptop, which has been publicly scrutinized for years.
The angry messages were first revealed by The New York Post in 2020, revealing that Hunter claimed his sister-in-law-turned-girlfriend, Hallie Biden, had thrown away a gun from him.
Hallie – who was married to Hunter’s late brother Beau Biden – allegedly threw the gun in a dumpster just 11 days after it was purchased, two months before the messages were sent.
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She allegedly threw the gun because she was worried about Hunter’s mental health, the texts state.
“I told you what she did to my 38th birthday,” Hunter allegedly wrote.
“I took it out of the locked box in the truck and put it in a paper bag and threw it in the trash can at the local high-end grocery store. For no reason,” the text continued.
“And I freaked out when I saw he was gone 10 minutes after she picked him up and when she came back for him after I scared her, he was gone, which led to a state police investigation into me. True story… But actually on top of the open trash can.”
A month later, Hunter allegedly repeated the claims in a separate text message conversation with Hallie and the therapist.
“She stole the gun from the box of my truck and threw a trash can full to the top at Jansens. Then she told me it was my problem,” he reportedly wrote.
“So when the police, FBI and Secret Service came on the scene, she said she took it from me because she was afraid I would hurt myself due to my drug and alcohol problem and our volatile relationship and that she was afraid by children.
“Really, I’m not kidding, the officer kept me convinced that Hallie was implying that she was scared of me.”
PURCHASE PROBLEM
Among the three counts, Hunter is accused of making false statements in the purchase of a firearm and providing false statements regarding information required to be maintained by a federally licensed firearms dealer.
Whenever an individual attempts to purchase a gun, they are required to fill out a form from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives stating that they are legally authorized to obtain the gun.
What is Hunter Biden accused of?
Jury selection in Hunter Biden’s gun trial began Monday.
The president’s son faces three criminal charges:
- Making false statements when purchasing a firearm
- Providing false statements about information required to be maintained by a federally licensed firearms dealer
- Possession of a firearm by an active drug user
This form asks several questions, including whether the individual has ever been convicted of a crime, is a fugitive, is in the county illegally, has been dishonorably discharged, or has ever been committed to a mental institution.
It also requires individuals to disclose whether they are “illegal users of or addicted to” illegal drugs such as marijuana, narcotics, stimulants or depressants.
At the time of the alleged purchase of the weapon, in October 2018, the president’s son would have selected “no” to these and similar questions, according to the Firearms Transaction Registry. obtained by CNN.
Prosecutors at the trial are planning to prove that Hunter was using illegal drugs by pointing to the relevant text messages, according to Political.
THE DEFENSE
Hunter pleaded not guilty to the charges and tried to secure a plea deal last year, but was unsuccessful.
At the time, he told District Judge Maryellen Noreika, appointed by the former president donald trumpwho had been sober since May 2019.
The president’s son has openly discussed his drug addiction in the past.
How is Hallie Biden involved?
The accusations stem from texts sent by Hunter Biden about his then-girlfriend Hallie Biden.
Between 2017 and 2019, Hunter and Hallie Biden — who was married to Hunter’s late brother, Beau — were in a romantic relationship.
In December 2018, Hunter allegedly told his therapist via text message that Hallie had thrown away a gun he purchased in October.
She allegedly threw the gun away 11 days after he bought it.
The texts state that Hallie threw it away because she was afraid Hunter might get hurt “due to my drug and alcohol problem and our volatile relationship.”
The texts also state that Hallie was afraid “for the children.”
Hunter allegedly told his therapist that Hallie took the gun, put it in a paper bag and threw it in a trash can next to a “high-end local grocery store.”
Although he will not be present in court with his son on Monday, the President Joe Biden released a statement of support for Hunter, pointing to his recovery.
“I am the president, but I am also a father. Jill and I love our son and are so proud of the man he is today,” the statement read.
“Hunter’s resilience in the face of adversity and the strength he brought to his recovery are inspiring to us.
“Many families have loved ones who have overcome addiction and know what we mean.
“As president, I do not and will not comment on pending federal cases, but as a father, I have boundless love for my son, trust in him and respect for his strength.
“Our family has been through a lot together, and Jill and I will continue to support Hunter and our family with our love and support.”
DOES HUNTER FACE PRISON TIME?
If condemned of the three criminal charges, Hunter could face up to 25 years in prison.
However, experts indicated that he would likely not receive the maximum punishment.
Presidential Support
President Joe Biden issued a statement in support of his son:
“I am the president, but I am also a father. Jill and I love our son and are so proud of the man he is today,” Biden said.
“Hunter’s resilience in the face of adversity and the strength he brought to his recovery are inspiring to us.
“Many families have loved ones who have overcome addiction and know what we mean.
“As president, I do not and will not comment on pending federal cases, but as a father, I have boundless love for my son, trust in him and respect for his strength.
“Our family has been through a lot together, and Jill and I will continue to support Hunter and our family with our love and support.”
Criminal defense lawyer Peter Tilem said Political that because Hunter has no previous convictions or arrests, as well as no charges of improper use of the weapon, he could face at least 15 months in prison if found guilty.
While President Biden has the power to pardon Hunter for the charges at any time, this is unlikely.
In July 2023, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre was asked whether the president would consider a pardon.
“No,” she said at the time, according to CNN.
HOW LONG WILL THE TRIAL LAST
The trial is expected to last between one and two weeks.
Jury selection began on Monday.
The final jury of 12 people and four alternates will be made up of Delaware residents.
OTHER LEGAL BATTLES
Hunter also faces nine tax-related charges, including failure to file and pay taxes and tax evasion in Los Angeles, California.
He pleaded not guilty.
Prosecutors accused the president’s son of spending millions on an extravagant lifestyle instead of paying taxes between 2016 and 2019.
Specifically, he was accused of failing to pay more than $1 million in taxes.
Hunter faces up to 17 years in prison if convicted.
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This story originally appeared on The-sun.com read the full story
