LOS ANGELES (AP) 鈥�
A man carrying ammunition and with a gun in his vehicle was arrested Sunday at President Donald Trump鈥檚 Los Angeles-area golf course after appearing to monitor security preparations ahead of there on Tuesday, authorities said.
The Los Angeles County Sheriff鈥檚 Department said Jeanine John Taele, 38, took photos and video and had a 16-round magazine with ammunition in his pocket. A search of his pickup truck in the golf course parking lot turned up a loaded 9mm pistol, binoculars and a badge that read 鈥渟ecurity protection agent.鈥� according to the U.S. attorney鈥檚 office in Los Angeles.
Law enforcement searched his home in the nearby city of Downey on Monday and found a rifle and other firearms, magazines and ammunition, body armor and notebooks with 鈥渃oncerning statements,” federal authorities said. No details about the statements were released.
The sheriff鈥檚 department announced the arrest as Trump was preparing to arrive for the Republican National Committee dinner Tuesday at the Trump National Golf Course in Rancho Palos Verdes just south of Los Angeles.
鈥淢r. Taele鈥檚 troubling behavior at the President鈥檚 public golf course merely days before the President was expected to arrive raised serious red flags for law enforcement,鈥� Patrick Grandy, the assistant director in charge of the FBI鈥檚 Los Angeles office, said in a statement. 鈥淭here is no room for error, particularly in light of previous attempts on President Trump鈥檚 life.鈥�
a jury found a man guilty of trying to assassinate Trump at the president鈥檚 Florida country club. And while a candidate in 2024, Trump narrowly escaped by a shooter on a roof at a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania.
Ahead of Tuesday鈥檚 event, federal agents conducted a security assessment last Friday at the Trump course near Los Angeles. A person later identified as Taele was seen walking throughout the course, wore an earpiece and took photographs and videos of federal agents鈥� activities, authorities said.
Taele drove away but then returned to the course Sunday. He approached federal agents and said he was employed by the State Department and was there for a security detail. Taele said he had a loaded weapon in his vehicle and was arrested after it was searched, according to federal officials.
Taele was charged with several felonies including second-degree robbery, receiving a large-capacity magazine and possession of a short-barreled rifle or shotgun. He was also charged with carrying a concealed firearm in a vehicle, a misdemeanor.
He pleaded not guilty to all the charges Monday and was ordered to stay away from the golf course and not possess weapons. His bail was set at $250,000.
It wasn鈥檛 clear if Taele had an attorney, and family members could not immediately be reached for comment.
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