Hunter Biden Has Officially Been Indicted, But Will He Go to Jail?

The Gist:

• On Sept. 14, 2023, Hunter Biden was officially indicted.
• Prosecutors have accused Hunter of misrepresenting his drug use when purchasing a firearm.
• There have also been claims that he failed to pay taxes on time.
• Hunter could face serious jail time if he's found guilty.

President Joe Biden's son, Hunter Biden has been coming under fire for some criminal charges. On Sept. 14, 2023, he was officially indicted which means he has been charged and accused of a crime. Of course, this isn't looking great in the public eye and Hunter is facing immense backlash for it.

Some of the blame is falling on the shoulders of President Biden too and voters are expressing concern. After all, Biden is also being investigated. The special counsel is reportedly looking into claims that Biden failed to pay taxes on time in Washington or California.

Prosecutors have accused Hunter of misrepresenting his drug use when purchasing a firearm. In October 2018, they claimed he was dealing with an addiction to cocaine. The indictment in Delaware indicates the prosecution believes that he lied about this when purchasing the firearm. They also allege that he possessed the gun for 11 days while actively using or addicted which is a crime.

"On or about Oct. 12, 2018, in the District of Delaware, the defendant, Robert Hunter Biden, in connection with the acquisition of a firearm, that is a Colt Cobra 38SPL," reads the court documents obtained by PBS. "He knowingly made a false and fictitious written statement, intended and likely to deceive the dealer... certifying he was not an unlawful user of, and addicted to, any stimulant, narcotic drug, and any other controlled substance, when in fact, as he knew, that statement was false and fictitious."

There's still a possibility that Hunter could face more charges; it just depends what the special counsel thinks. Basically, there are some claims that Hunter may have some tax offenses he could be taken to court over.

Whether or not Hunter goes to jail is uncertain. The charges being brought against him are pretty hefty. In fact, according to CNN, 25 years in prison is a real possibility. Plus, he could be slammed with up to $750,000 in fines. However, that all depends on Hunter actually being found guilty. If he's found guilty, the sentencing is a different process entirely and could result in a lesser consequence.

Republican lawmakers are seeking an impeachment of President Joe Biden and Hunter is implicated in the process. As of writing, an official impeachment inquiry has begun and it centers on Hunter's "foreign business dealings." So far, they haven't found evidence that Biden, himself, has done anything wrong.

The accusation is that Biden was benefitting from Hunter's business while he was the U.S. vice president. A business associate of Hunter's made a claim the Hunter was trying to benefit from Biden's status. He told the special counsel that Hunter portrayed "an illusion of access to his father."

However, the same associate testified that he doesn't recall Biden himself doing anything wrong. While he concedes that Biden did speak with Hunter's foreign associates, he says they weren't talking about business relevant to the inquiry.