President Biden’s son Hunter has been criminally charged with three counts of lying when buying a firearm, after efforts to reach a plea deal failed.
The indictment marks the first time the child of a sitting president has been criminally prosecuted.
A planned plea bargain to resolve gun and tax-related charges he faced abruptly fell apart in July.
All three counts relate to Mr Biden allegedly lying on forms while buying a firearm while he was a drug user.
Court documents show that Mr Biden lied on the federally-mandated forms while purchasing a Colt revolver at a Delaware gun store in October 2018.
At the time, Mr Biden was a heavy user of crack cocaine.
Under US federal laws, it is a crime to lie on the form or possess a firearm while a drug user.
He previously acknowledged the charges during negotiations for the aborted plea deal.
The younger Mr Biden’s legal woes have become an increasingly contentious issue in US politics.
