Ryan Wesley Routh, 58, was arrested on Sunday on suspicion of attempting to assassinate former President Trump.
He was indicted Monday on two federal firearms offenses: possessing a firearm after having been convicted of a felony and possessing a firearm with an obliterated serial number.
On Sunday, Secret Service agents stationed at Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach, Florida, a few holes before the former president spotted a man pointing a rifle at the boundary line of the course. They fired shots at the man, who then fled the scene.
No shots were fired at Trump or Secret Service agents. Authorities found two bags, a loaded scoped rifle and other items at the scene.
Authorities later stopped Routh on I-95 and arrested him.
Federal Judge Ryan McCabe scheduled Routh's arraignment for Sept. 30.
Prosecutors expect to seek a grand jury indictment in the coming days, which could include additional charges.
Here's what we know about Louth.
Where are you from, Louth?
Records show Routh lived most of his life in North Carolina and moved to Kaaawa, Hawaii in 2018.
The New York Times interviewed Rouse last year and said he was a native of Greensboro, North Carolina.
Voter registration records show Rouse registered as an independent in North Carolina in 2012 and most recently voted in the state's Democratic primary this year.
According to his LinkedIn page, he founded a company called Camp Box Honolulu that builds warehouses and tiny homes.
Oran, the eldest son of Laus, He told CNN He said he was a “loving, caring father and an honest, hardworking man.” He said he doesn't know what happened in Florida and that it doesn't seem like the person he knew.
Supporter of Ukraine
Routh said, The New York Times to write a feature on pro-Ukrainian foreign fighters in 2023. He visited Ukraine in 2022 and detailed recruiting former Afghan soldiers who had fled the Taliban to fight for Ukraine.
Ruth also protested in Kiev after the Russian invasion and published a 291-page book about his position. CNN reported.
He was offered a “mass of recruits” for the Ukrainian army, but representatives of the Ukrainian Foreign Legion admitted that he had never joined the military and that their offer was “unrealistic.”
In the book, titled “Ukraine's Unwinnable War,” Rouse called Trump a “fool” and a “clown” for both the Jan. 6 storming of the Capitol and for withdrawing from the Iran nuclear deal. “Feel free to assassinate Trump,” Rouse wrote about Iran in his self-published book. The Associated Press reported.
The Associated Press noted that Routh's political stance does not appear to align with any political party.
In June 2020, he wrote a letter to President Trump stating that he would be re-elected if he issued an executive order allowing the Department of Justice to prosecute police misconduct. He also posted in support of former Representative Tulsi Gabbard, who left the Democratic Party to support President Trump.
Since those earlier posts, Routh appears to have become more critical of President Trump and supportive of President Biden and Vice President Harris, according to the Associated Press.
History of legal issues
Court documents from North Carolina and Hawaii reviewed by The Hill show Routh has a long history of run-ins with the law.
According to the documents, Routh had regular run-ins with police over the decades and faced dozens of criminal charges, including traffic infractions such as a hit-and-run and expired vehicle registration, as well as charges of writing a bad check, resisting a public officer, false identification and carrying a concealed firearm.
Routh also has a history of violent crimes, having been convicted in North Carolina in 2002 of possessing a weapon of mass destruction. Local Report After being pulled over for a traffic violation, Routh barricaded himself inside his roofing shop with a machine gun.
Federal prosecutors have noted Routh's violent record and are seeking a minimum sentence of 15 years in prison if convicted.
In 2008, the Internal Revenue Service filed a lien against Rouse's roofing business in an attempt to collect about $32,000.
North Carolina corrections records show Routh has never been to prison.
After he moved to Hawaii in 2020, Rouse was charged with driving without a valid license and failing to have auto insurance. The charges were later dropped and Rouse paid approximately $300 for the violations.
Hawaii authorities accused him of failing to pay vehicle taxes and having a safety inspection in January 2022. A second charge was filed a year later and he was convicted.
During his time in North Carolina, Rouse was recognized by police for his efforts in tracking down a rape suspect in the state in 1991, when he was honored by the local chapter of the national police union.
