Hunter Biden's phone had apparent cocaine, drug paraphernalia photos at time of gun purchase

Hunter Biden had photos of apparent cocaine and drug paraphernalia on his phone and he discussed his drug addiction in text messages both before and after he purchased a firearm and asserted on a federal form that he was not using drugs, according to evidence released by the Justice Department.

"Prior to October 12, 2018 (the date of the gun purchase), the defendant took photos of crack cocaine and drug paraphernalia on his phone," the Justice Department said in a court document released Tuesday.

The document shows the first son talking about how much he paid for said cocaine in April 2018.

Hunter Biden asked in a May 2018 message if he could get "baby powder," which is used as a cutting agent in white powdered drugs, and specified that he wanted "The really soft stuff," the evidence shows.  

"On October 13, 2018, and October 14, 2018 (the day after and two days after he purchased the firearm), the defendant messaged his girlfriend about meeting a drug dealer and smoking crack," the Justice Department also said. 

The document also featured messages from Oct. 23, 2018, the day that Hunter Biden's then-girlfriend discarded his firearm. 

"I'm sorry, I just want you safe. That was not safe," she texted him. "You have lost your mind [H]unter. I'm sorry I handled it poorly today but you are in huge denial about yourself and about that reality that I just want you safe. You run away like a child and blame me for your s***."

Evidence presented in court shows that Hunter Biden took "multiple photographs" of "apparent cocaine, crack cocaine, and drug paraphernalia" in November and December 2018, per the document. 

The evidence was released alongside a court filing from federal prosecutors expressing their opposition to what they call Hunter Biden's "far-reaching request for all communications by anyone in the government related to him." 

Hunter Biden pleaded not guilty in October 2023 to three federal firearms charges, including making false statements on a federal gun form and illegally possessing a firearm while using illicit drugs.

The charges came after the first son's plea deal involving two misdemeanor tax charges fell apart after the judge questioned its constitutionality.

Follow Madeleine Hubbard on X or Instagram.