I Was Stopped From Pursuing Leads vs Hunter Biden: Agent

The IRS supervisory agent who helped oversee the investigation of Hunter Biden continues to raise questions about what he alleged was special treatment in the probe of the president's son, telling CBS News that, dating back to the Trump administration, he was repeatedly prevented from taking steps he would have considered routine in other cases, Jim Axelrod reported for CBS News.

Photo Insert: Hunter Biden has reportedly reached a tentative deal with the US attorney in Delaware, agreeing to enter guilty pleas to two misdemeanor tax charges and admitting to felony gun possession.

"We have to make sure as a special agent for IRS Criminal Investigation that we treat every single person exactly the same," said Gary Shapley, a 14-year veteran of the agency, who spoke exclusively to CBS News chief investigative correspondent Jim Axelrod.

"And that just simply didn't happen here." Shapley's comments come a week after the Trump-appointed US attorney for Delaware, David Weiss, who has been leading the probe, announced a plea deal in the case against Hunter Biden.

A Republican who said he has no political motive and has never been engaged in politics, Shapley told CBS News he believes stronger charges could have been brought.

According to a Justice Department filing made public last week, Hunter Biden reached a tentative deal with the US attorney in Delaware, agreeing to enter guilty pleas to two misdemeanor tax charges and admitting to felony gun possession.

Hunter Biden's plea will include an acknowledgment that drug use was a contributing factor in his gun crime, and he will enter into a pretrial diversion agreement on that charge, according to the filing.

It is expected that for two years, Hunter Biden must remain drug-free and must not commit additional crimes. If he fulfills this successfully, the gun count would be dismissed. This does not amount to a guilty plea.

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