
Prosecutors on Tuesday charged Ryan Wesley Routh with the attempted assassination of a prominent presidential candidate, CNN reported.
Authorities allege that Routh camped for hours outside former President Donald Trump’s West Palm Beach golf course, armed with a rifle that he aimed through a chain-link fence, targeting the next hole where Trump was headed on September 15.
Prosecutors informed a federal magistrate judge on Monday that Routh had allegedly been “stalking” Trump in Florida for over a month. They claim that cell phone data placed Routh at both the golf course and Trump’s Mar-a-Lago residence on several occasions between August 18 and the date of his arrest.
Initially, Routh faced two charges related to firearms, including obliterating a firearm’s serial number and possessing a firearm as a convicted felon, while the investigation continued.
In addition to the previous gun charges, Routh now faces additional charges of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence and assaulting a federal officer.
Court documents indicate that Judge Aileen Cannon, who previously oversaw and dismissed the federal classified documents case against Trump, was randomly assigned to oversee Routh’s case.
The indictment alleges that Routh “did forcibly assault, oppose, impede, intimidate, and interfere with ‘Secret Service Special Agent #1,’ an officer and employee of the United States.”
Routh’s arraignment is scheduled for Monday.