Hunter Biden's trial on firearms charges begins June 3: Here is his possible punishment if found guilty

A federal judge has already set Wednesday, June 3, as a tentative date to begin the trial against Hunter Biden, accused of illegal possession of weapons.

District Judge Maryellen Noreika reserved the weeks of June 3 and 10 for the jury trial in Wilmington, Delaware.

Hunter Biden, son of Joe Biden, already pled not guilty to weapons charges last October and will now face three felony charges related to the purchase of a 38-caliber Colt Cobra revolver in 2018 when he still had an addiction problem, according to the Justice Department indictment.

In September of last year, prosecutors explained the three charges in more detail.

According to the indictment, Hunter Biden, upon purchasing the firearm from a federally licensed dealer, was required to complete a firearms transaction record, better known as ATF Form 4473, and certify that all of his answers on the form were true and correct.

"As alleged in count one of the indictment, Hunter Biden knowingly made a false written statement on the Form 4473, intended and likely to deceive the dealer he purchased the firearm from, when he certified that he was not an unlawful user of, or addicted to, any stimulant, narcotic drug, or any other controlled substance," detailed the Department of Justice.

In the second count of the indictment, the Justice Department said Hunter Biden made a false statement to the firearms dealer regarding information the dealer is required to retain under federal law.

Finally, in the third charge, Biden is accused of violating federal law during a period of 11 days between October 12 and 23, 2018, for illegally possessing a firearm as a citizen with addiction problems.

What would be the punishment for Hunter Biden?

If found guilty, the Justice Department explained that the president's son could face a maximum sentence of 25 years in prison.

However, the Department of Justice clarified that the sentences are usually lower than the maximum penalties for these types of crimes. In any case, "a federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors," the indictment reads.

This charge of illegally possessing a firearm and lying on a federal form should not be confused with the tax evasion charges Hunter Biden faces in California.

In that indictment, the president's son faces nine charges, including failure to file and pay taxes, evaluation evasion, and false or fraudulent tax returns.

Special prosecutor David Weiss is handling both cases. The California trial could also begin in June, although the date has not yet been confirmed.