New Delhi: US President Joe Biden's son Hunter Biden was criminally charged with three counts related to making "false statements" in connection with the purchase of a firearm, news agency Reuters reported. It is the first time that the child of sitting president has been prosecuted.
According to the report, the indictment was filed in the US District Court with three criminal counts related to Huner Biden making false statements in connection with the purchase of a firearm and illegally possessing the firearm as a drug addict.
The development comes two days after the House of Representatives members moved to open an impeachment probe of President Joe Biden related to his son’s foreign business dealings.
According to court documents, junior Biden allegedly lied on the federally mandated forms as he purchased a Colt revolver at a Delaware store in October 2018. He kept the gun for 11 days, a report by CNN stated.
The documents further indicate that at the time of the purchase of the gun, Hunter Biden was a heavy user of crack cocaine. Under US federal laws, it is a crime to lie on such documentation while purchasing of firearm or its possession while a drug user.
According to reports, if Huner Biden is convicted, he will face a maximum penalty of 25 years in prison, the justice department said in a statement.
However, actual sentences for federal crimes are usually less than the maximum possible penalties, CNN reported.
It is to be noted that junior Biden acknowledged the criminal charges during negotiations for the aborted plea deal. It was a two-part agreement struck between prosecutors and his legal team in June, the report stated.
As per the agreement, Hunter Biden would have been charged with two misdemeanour counts for failing to pay his taxes in time in 2017 and 2018, CNN reported.