Federal prosecutors have charged the man spotted with a gun outside Donald Trump’s golf course with attempted murder of a presidential candidate.
The indictment, made public Tuesday, alleges that Ryan Wesley Routh “willfully attempted to assassinate former President of the United States Donald J. Trump, a leading presidential candidate” while camping near where Trump was golfing in West Palm Beach, Florida, on Sept. 15. The charge could carry a maximum sentence of life in prison if convicted.
In addition, two other charges were added: possession of a firearm in aid of a crime of violence and assault on a federal officer.
Routh had previously been charged with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and possession of a firearm with a defaced serial number.
The case has been assigned to U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon, Trump’s nominee who earlier this year threw out secret criminal documents against the former president.
The charges come a day after Trump released a statement accusing the Justice Department of “downplaying” the alleged assassination plot against him this month and suggesting that Florida state officials take over the case.
“The Kamala Harris/Joe Biden Department of Justice and the FBI are trivializing and mishandling the second assassination attempt on my life since July. The charges against the maniacal killer are a slap on the wrist,” Trump said in a statement Monday, claiming they have a conflict of interest “because they have been obsessed with ‘Getting Trump’ for so long.”
Federal prosecutors had indicated during Routh’s court appearance Monday that other charges would be filed. He is being held without bail pending trial.
This article was originally published on TODAY.com
