Hunter Biden guilty in criminal gun trial

A jury convicted Hunter Biden, son of President Joe Biden, of all three counts at his criminal gun trial in Delaware federal court on Tuesday morning.

Hunter Biden, 54, was found guilty of making a false statement in connection with the sale of a firearm, a false statement in a firearms transaction, and possessing a firearm while being a drug user or drug addict.

The charges relate to his purchase of a Colt Cobra handgun from a Delaware gun store in October 2018 while being an active user of illegal drugs. Biden was accused of lying on a federally mandated form he filled out in connection with that sale, where he had said he was not an unlawful user or addict of a narcotic drug.

Biden looked straight ahead at the jury and nodded slightly as three guilty verdicts were read, eight days after the trial began. He is the first child of a sitting U.S. president to be tried in a criminal case.

First lady Jill Biden entered the courtroom after the verdict was announced, as did his aunt, Valerie Biden Owens.

Biden’s wife, Melissa Cohen Biden, was in the room when the verdict was read out.

The verdict came after about three hours of deliberations.

Jurors began deliberating on Monday afternoon after hearing closing arguments from prosecutors and Biden’s lawyer, Abbe Lowell, and instructions from Judge Maryellen Noreika.

Noreika said she would set Biden’s sentencing date later.

Biden, who has admitted to struggling with cocaine and alcohol addiction, faces a maximum possible prison sentence of 10 years on two of the felony counts, and a maximum possible sentence of five years in prison on the third count.

President Biden is due to speak about gun control at an event in Atlanta on Tuesday afternoon.

Biden told ABC News last week that he would not issue a pardon to his son if he was convicted in this case.

In a statement Tuesday about Hunter’s conviction, the president said, “As I said last week, I am the President, but I am also a Dad.”

“Jill and I love our son, and we are so proud of the man he is today,” President Biden said. “So many families who have had loved ones battle addiction understand the feeling of pride seeing someone you love come out the other side and be so strong and resilient in recovery.”

“As I also said last week, I will accept the outcome of this case and will continue to respect the judicial process as Hunter considers an appeal,” the president said. “Jill and I will always be there for Hunter and the rest of our family with our love and support. Nothing will ever change that.”

Hunter Biden is separately charged in Los Angeles federal court with failing to pay taxes on more than $1.4 million in income over several years.

He is due to stand trial in that case in September, two months before his father faces the Republican Donald Trump in the presidential election.

This is breaking news. Check back for updates.