Last week, a jury in Delaware found Hunter Biden guilty on three felony gun charges, including lying on a firearms application and illegal possession of a revolver.
Typically, the Secret Service is mandated to protect the children of a sitting President until they reach 16 years old. However, the agency has historically extended protection to adult children beyond this age.
Regarding the implications of Hunter Biden potentially facing prison time, legal experts suggest that probation is more likely given the nature of his convictions. Sara Azari, a legal analyst, noted, “In all reality, and not because his last name is Biden — simply because anybody convicted of this kind of crime would probably get probation and a fine — that’s probably what he’ll get as well.”
Azari further explained that even if Hunter Biden were sentenced to prison, he would likely retain Secret Service protection, a unique circumstance that would require logistical coordination given the agents would be serving alongside him.
Overall, despite the legal proceedings, the Secret Service remains committed to providing security to Hunter Biden in line with their established protocols and duties.
Hunter Biden faces as many as 25 years in prison, and although experts say he’s unlikely to receive prison time, it’s unclear how or if the Secret Service might look after the president’s son if he were placed behind bars.
A jury returned guilty verdicts for the three felony charges Biden faced related to the purchase of a revolver in 2018.
NewsNation Legal Analyst Sara Azari says, given the facts of the case, Biden is likely to receive probation instead of prison.
“In all reality, and not because his last name is Biden — simply because anybody convicted of this kind of crime would probably get probation and a fine — that’s probably what he’ll get as well,” Azari said. “He’s not being treated about the law or any differently.”
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That said, if a judge did sentence a sitting president’s son to prison, they’d likely be entitled to the Secret Service protection they were afforded before their conviction, Azari said.
It’s a burdensome arrangement to put together since the Secret Service agents would technically be serving time alongside the person they’re protecting, she added.
