Delaware, United States

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Hunter Biden used crack cocaine shortly after unlawfully purchasing a pistol in 2018, according to information presented during his criminal trial.

Days after the handgun purchase, Biden, 54, texted his brother's widow, saying in one message that he was "sleeping on a car smoking crack," an FBI agent testifying during his trial claimed.

The son of the US president is charged with purposefully lying on paperwork regarding his drug usage to purchase a handgun and ammo from a Wilmington, Delaware gun store.

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According to his defence, he was sincere when he stated on the paperwork that he wasn't using illegal substances at the time he purchased the firearm because he was in recovery.

If convicted guilty of all three federal charges in the case, Biden could spend up to 25 years in jail. FBI agent Erika Jensen stated in her testimony on Tuesday that there was "evidence of addiction" on the laptop.

She added that in the months before he purchased the pistol, Biden seemed to be making plans to obtain illegal substances. He used code for crack cocaine like "baby powder" in the text exchanges.

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He texted Hallie Biden, the late president's son Beau Biden's wife, the day after the gun purchase, saying he was "waiting for a dealer named Mookie."

Hallie Biden texted him that day, saying, "I called you 500 times in the past 24 hours."

In response, Hunter Biden said he was "sleeping on a car smoking crack on 4th street and Rodney" less than a minute later.

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In a separate text, he said, "There's my truth."

During her brief connection with Mr. Biden following her husband Beau's death in 2015, Hallie Biden also developed a crack cocaine addiction, which will be discussed with the jury in the trial.

Biden's attorneys described the messages, implying that their client had lied to avoid meeting Hallie Biden.

The laptop that was the focus of the testimony was leaked with inappropriate images of Hunter Biden and texts about his financial dealings, which turned it into a political mine during the 2020 election campaign.

Although Joe Biden insisted at the time that the information was false Russian propaganda, the laptop has since been verified as authentic.

(With inputs from agencies)