Robert Hunter Biden Found Guilty of Three Felonies Related to the Illegal Purchase of a Firearm

After a week-long trial, a federal jury in the District of Delaware found Robert Hunter Biden guilty of three felonies connected with his illegal purchase of a firearm in October 2018, including making a false statement in the purchase of a firearm, making a false statement related to information required to be kept by a federally licensed firearms dealer, and possession of a firearm by a person who is an unlawful user of or addicted to a controlled substance.

“This case was about the illegal choices the defendant made while in the throes of addiction — his choice to lie on a government form when he bought a gun and the choice to then possess that gun,” said Special Counsel David C. Weiss. “It was these choices and the combination of guns and drugs that made his conduct dangerous. No one in this country is above the law. However, Hunter Biden should be no more accountable than any other citizen convicted of the same conduct. The prosecution has been and will continue to be committed to this principle, and to the principles of federal prosecution in carrying out its responsibilities.”

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, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Form 4473, and certify that all of his or her answers on the form are true and correct.

According to the evidence presented at trial, Biden knowingly made a false written statement on the ATF Form 4473 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. Evidence at trial further proved that Biden 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.   Lastly, during an 11-day period between Oct. 12 and Oct. 23, 2018, 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.

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