A federal judge in Florida has ruled that the man accused of attempting to assassinate President Trump on his golf course will be held without bail as he awaits trial.
Ryan Routh was charged with two gun-related crimes after aiming a firearm through the tree line surrounding the golf course while Trump was playing. This marks the second reported assassination attempt against Trump this year. Prosecutors argued that Routh, who has a lengthy criminal history, poses a significant danger to society and should remain detained until his trial. Magistrate Judge Ryon M. McCabe ordered Routh to remain in custody during a hearing last week. The 58-year-old has not yet entered a plea.
Routh faces charges of possessing a firearm as a convicted felon and possessing a firearm with an obliterated serial number. If convicted, he could face up to 15 years in prison for the first charge and an additional five years for the second, according to the Associated Press. Investigators discovered a digital camera, two bags, and a loaded SKS-style rifle with a scope near the area where Routh was hiding.
Prosecutors revealed on Monday that they plan to ask a grand jury to consider charging Routh with attempting to assassinate President Trump.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Dispoto stated, “There is probable cause to support additional charges which can and should be considered by the court.” He added that the government intends to “ask a grand jury to consider a charge that the defendant attempted to assassinate Trump,” a crime that carries a maximum sentence of life in prison.
Routh was found in possession of a list of locations where Trump had appeared or was expected to appear between August and October. Prosecutors also disclosed that Routh is believed to have traveled near Trump's West Palm Beach golf course on September 15 and made multiple visits to the Mar-a-Lago resort in the weeks leading up to his arrest.
Prosecutors also revealed in a court filing that a civilian witness received a letter from Routh months prior, in which Routh discussed an assassination plot against Trump. “This was an assassination attempt on Donald Trump but I failed you. I tried my best and gave it all the gumption I could muster. It is up to you now to finish the job; and I will offer $150,000 to whomever can complete the job,” the letter read. The letter was found in a box Routh allegedly delivered to the witness, which also contained ammunition, a metal pipe, tools, four phones, and other items, according to court documents. The witness did not open the box until after Routh’s arrest.
Routh, originally from North Carolina, had relocated to Hawaii before his arrest. He was convicted of felonies in North Carolina in 2002 and 2010, which prohibited him from possessing firearms, said U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe. Routh had previously appeared in news reports for his support of Ukraine in its war against Russia. In a self-published book, he wrote that Iran was “free to assassinate Trump,” criticizing the former president’s withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal.
