Hunter Biden, President Biden's son, could reportedly be indicted on gun charges by the end of the month.
A deal had previously been reached that would have seen Hunter Biden avoid prosecution for a felony gun possession charge over two years. However, the deal's future has been thrown into limbo after a plea deal to resolve two tax charges fell apart in court.
Indictment Must Be Made By September 29
“The Speedy Trial Act requires that the Government obtain the return of an indictment by a grand jury by Friday, September 29, 2023, at the earliest. The Government intends to seek the return of an indictment in this case before that date,” the special counsel David Weiss's office said in a court filing.
Abbe Lowell, Hunter Biden's attorney, said the previous deal “prevents any additional charges from being filed against Mr. Biden, who has been abiding by the conditions of release under that agreement for the last several weeks, including regular visits by the probation office.”
Lowell adds: “We expect a fair resolution of the sprawling, 5-year investigation into Mr. Biden that was based on the evidence and the law, not outside political pressure.”
Hunter Biden lied on a form stating that he was not using or addicted to illegal drugs when he purchased a revolver in a Delaware gun shop in October 2018. It is a federal crime to lie on an ATF form or possess a firearm while using drugs.
The statute of limitations for some of Biden's offenses is set to expire in October, prosecutors have said.
Hunter Biden Being Investigated For Tax Evasion, Money Laundering, and More
Special Counsel David Weiss has led the investigation into Hunter Biden since 2018, with his team's probe looking into potential tax evasion, illegal foreign lobbying, money laundering, and matters related to Biden's overseas business deals.
In June, Weiss announced a deal where Hunter Biden would plead guilty to two federal tax misdemeanors and a diversion agreement in which the gun charge would be dropped in two years if Biden passed regular drug tests and did not break the law.
But at a court hearing in July, the deal collapsed after scrutiny from the federal judge presiding over the case. Though both sides attempted to reach a new agreement, talks eventually broke down. Attorney General Merrick Garland escalated the probe by giving Weiss special counsel status in August.
Weiss is also considering whether to charge Hunter Biden with tax offenses after Biden repeatedly missed deadlines set by the IRS to pay his taxes. However, he did eventually pay $2million to the Federal Government to settle his debts, including penalties and interest. Weiss said in a court filing that “a trial is now in order” on the tax offenses, and he “may bring tax charges” in California or Washington, DC.