Grand Jury Returns Indictment Charging Robert Hunter Biden with Three Felonies Related to His Purchase of a Firearm

A federal grand jury returned an indictment today charging Robert Hunter Biden (Hunter Biden) with three felony firearm offenses.

According to the indictment, Hunter Biden purchased a Colt Cobra 38SPL revolver from a federally licensed firearms dealer on Oct. 12, 2018. When purchasing a firearm, a prospective purchaser must fill out a Firearm Transaction Record, ATF Form 4473, and certify that all of his or her answers on the form are true and correct. As alleged in count one of the indictment, Hunter Biden knowingly made a false written statement on the Form 4473, intended and likely to deceive the dealer he purchased the firearm from, when he certified that he was not an unlawful user of, or addicted to, any stimulant, narcotic drug, or any other controlled substance. In fact, he knew that statement was false, according to the indictment. In count two of the indictment, Hunter Biden is alleged to have knowingly made a false statement and representation to a federally licensed firearms dealer with respect to information the dealer is required to keep under federal law. Count three of the indictment alleges that during an 11-day period between Oct. 12 and Oct. 23, 2018, Hunter Biden possessed a firearm while knowing he was an unlawful user of or addicted to any stimulant, narcotic drug, or any other controlled substance, in violation of federal law.

Hunter Biden is charged with making a false statement in the purchase of a firearm, making a false statement related to information required to be kept by Federal Firearms Licensed Dealer, and possession of a firearm by a person who is an unlawful user of or addicted to a controlled substance. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 25 years in prison. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Special Counsel David C. Weiss made the announcement.

Court documents and information for this case is located on the website of the District Court for the District of Delaware or on PACER by searching for Case No. 23-cr-00061-MN.

An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.