Joe Biden's son charged with tax, weapons offences

United States President Joe Biden's second son Hunter has been charged with failing to pay federal income tax and illegally possessing a weapon.

However, according to a letter filed before the US district court in Delaware, Biden Jr is said to have an agreement with the justice department.

Accordingly, Hunter Biden will plead guilty to misdemeanour tax offences.

On the charge of illegally owning a firearm as a drug user, he is yet to reach an agreement.

The news comes even as Prime Minister Narendra Modi is flying to the US on a state visit, during which he will be hosted by the Bidens.

The deal ends a long-running Justice Department investigation into Biden's second son, who has acknowledged struggling with addiction following the 2015 death of his brother Beau Biden.

The gun charge states that Hunter Biden possessed a handgun, a Colt Cobra 38 special, despite knowing he was a drug user for 11 days in October 2018.

The count carries a maximum sentence of up to 10 years in prison, but the Justice Department says Hunter Biden has reached a pretrial agreement on that charge. Full details were not immediately available.

The White House had no immediate comment on the case.