Hunter Biden, son of US President Joe Bidenwas charged this Thursday with three charges related to the purchase and weapon possessionwhat is illegal when it comes to a person with addictions.

According to him indictmenton or around October 12, 2018 Hunter Biden bought a guna .38 caliber Colt Cobra, and lied to the seller by giving him a certificate stating that it was not illicit consumer or addict to stimulants, narcotics or other controlled substances. “I knew that statement was false and fictitious”, points out the document, which also reproaches the president’s son for lying about his addictions in the information that should be registered in the federal firearms license (FFL, for its acronym in English).

With a third charge, Hunter Biden is also accused of own a firearm knowing that it was illegal because of his addictions. Specifically, in the certificate that the gun buyers must fill out, the buyer is asked if he is an “illegal user of, or marijuana addict or any depressant, stimulant, narcotic or any other controlled substance.” It is also warned that “the use or marijuana possession remains illegal under federal law, regardless of whether it has been legalized or decriminalized for medical or recreational purposes in the state” in which that person resides.

That transaction record makes it clear that the information provided will be used to determine whether the Federal or State law prohibits that person from receiving a firearm, or vetoes its sale or disposal.

Up to 25 years in prison

He Justice Department indicated in a statement that, if convicted of the three charges, Hunter Biden could receive a maximum of 25 years in prison. His note adds that the sentences usually handed down for federal crimes are normally lower than the maximum penalty contemplated.

Leading the investigations has been David Weiss, the federal prosecutor for Delaware, who in mid-August was appointed by the Secretary of Justice of the United States, Merrick Garland, as attorney general in charge of the case.

Hunter Biden must appear in court for the formal reading of the charges, but according to CNN, a date has not yet been set. That network indicated that he is currently in California. The imputation of grand jury of the District of Delaware does not mention the other crime for which he was also investigated, the irregular tax declaration.

At the hearing held on July 27, Hunter Biden was scheduled to plead guilty after reaching a agreement with prosecutors federal authorities, but the deal ended up falling apart after the judge who must hand down the sentence, Maryellen Noreika, nominated by the former president Donald Trump (2017-2021), will express doubts about it. Under that agreement, the president’s 53-year-old son could have avoid formal charges under certain conditions, but after a hearing full of interruptions and changes Hunter Biden decided not to sign the pact and plead not guilty.

The Republicans, led by trumphave used the investigation against Hunter Biden to sow doubts about his businesses abroad and to describe the president’s family as corrupt.

The investigations against Hunter Biden They were opened in 2018 during Trump’s term and conservatives have relied on them to attack the Democratic president, whom they accuse of having made no effort to see this investigation through to the end.

This Wednesday the leader of the House of Representatives, Republican Kevin McCarthy, ordered the opening of a impeachment inquiry against the president, accusing him precisely of taking advantage of his political ties to intervene in his son’s business and benefit from them, accusations repeatedly refuted by the White House.