Pardon incoming….

Hunter Biden shocked the California courtroom on Thursday as he officially entered a guilty plea as a jury selection was underway for his federal tax evasion trial.

Earlier it was reported that Hunter Biden was going to change his plea to guilty to avoid a trial.

In December Hunter Biden was hit with a 9-count indictment filed in the Central District of California: Tax evasion, failure to file/pay taxes, and false/fraudulent tax return.

The charges were handed down by Special Counsel David Weiss after a sweetheart plea deal on tax charges fell apart last summer.

The indictment details a “four-year scheme” to avoid the $1.4+ million tax obligations he owed between 2016 and 2019 and to file false returns.

Hunter Biden initially entered an ‘Alford plea’ which allowed him to plead guilty while simultaneously maintaining his innocence.

Federal prosecutors fought back and Hunter Biden ended up entering a standard guilty plea.

Judge Scarsi signed off on the guilty plea which means Hunter Biden will avoid a trial.

The New York Post reported:

Hunter Biden shocked the legal and political words Thursday as he unexpectedly decided to plead guilty plea in his federal tax evasion case, just as his trial was slated to kick off with jury selection.

Los Angeles federal Judge Mark Scarsi accepted the plea from the first son on all nine counts he faced in a case accusing him of failing to pay $1.4 million in taxes for the years 2016 through 2019.

With the guilty plea — which was not part of a plea bargain and which came as a shock to prosecutors — Biden could face up to 17 years behind bars, he same penalty he would have faced if convicted at trial.

“Hunter decided to enter his plea to protect those he loves from unnecessary hurt and cruel humiliation,” Biden’s lawyer, Abbe Lowell said, outside court after the hearing.

“This plea prevents that kind of show trial that would not have provided all the facts or served any real point in justice. He will now move on to the sentencing phase, while keeping open the options to raise the many clear issues with this case on appeal.”

Lowell blindsided federal prosecutors when he told Scarsi earlier Thursday that his client wanted to enter an Alford plea – which would have allowed him to plead guilty but maintain his innocence.

Prosecutors, however, balked at the move, considering the massive evidence against Biden.

Hunter also knows his father **or Kamala Harris if she is installed** will issue a pardon.