Federal prosecutors have charged the man who was seen with a gun outside Donald Trump’s golf course with attempted assassination of a presidential candidate.
The indictment, unsealed Tuesday, alleges that Ryan Wesley Routh “intentionally attempted to kill former President of the United States Donald J. Trump, a major presidential candidate” while camping near where Trump was golfing on Sept. 15 in West Palm Beach, Florida. The charges carry a maximum sentence of life in prison if convicted.
She also added two other charges: possession of a firearm in furtherance of a violent crime and assaulting a federal officer.
Routh had previously been charged with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number.
The case was assigned to U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon, the Trump nominee who threw out classified criminal documents against the former president earlier this year.
The indictment comes 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 Justice Department and FBI are mishandling and downplaying the second assassination attempt on me since July. The charges against the maniac assassin are a slap on the wrist,” Trump said in a statement Monday, claiming they have a conflict of interest “since they have been obsessed with ‘finding Trump’ for so long.”
Federal prosecutors indicated during Routh’s court appearance Monday that additional charges would be filed against him. He was ordered held without bail pending trial.
