Hunter Biden is facing sentencing in November on gun charges and in December on tax charges, following a guilty plea to all nine charges for failing to pay taxes from 2016 to 2019. Despite the possibility of up to 25 years in prison on gun charges and 17 years on tax charges, legal experts expect a lighter sentence for Biden as a first-time offender due to mitigating factors such as addiction issues. He is expected to argue for probation or home confinement based on his recovery from drug addiction, repayment of taxes, and lack of need for deterrence.
There was a collapsed plea agreement in July 2023, which would have allowed for a more lenient sentence, but disagreements arose over potential future charges against Biden. The collapse of the agreement led to Biden pleading guilty to all charges without an agreement on sentencing. The gun charges Biden faced for lying about his drug use when purchasing a handgun and the rare prosecution of tax charges when repaid will also play a role in his sentencing arguments.
Despite being a target for House Republicans’ investigations, including an impeachment report released on the first day of the Democratic National Convention accusing the elder Biden of corruption, President Joe Biden has denied any wrongdoing by his family members. Legal experts do not expect the high-profile nature of the case to impact Hunter Biden’s sentencing and believe that he will receive a relatively light sentence based on his circumstances.
Photo credit
www.usatoday.com
