September 17, (THEWILL) – Ryan Wesley Routh, the suspect in the alleged assassination attempt of former President Donald Trump, on Monday, made his first appearance in federal court in West Palm Beach.
THEWILL had reported a gunfire incident around Trump’s vicinity at the West Palm Beach golf course on Sunday.
Secret Service Acting Director, Ron Roe, at a news conference, said one of their agents was hundreds of yards ahead of Trump on Sunday when he spotted a gun barrel poking out from the tree line near the sixth green of Trump International Golf Club and opened fire on the suspect around 1:31 p.m ET.
According to the criminal complaint filed in the case, Routh’s cell phone data tracked him near the tree line of the Trump International Golf Club as early as 1:59 a.m. ET on Sunday.
The criminal complaint filed by Prosecutors said, “As Trump was playing a round of golf that afternoon, a Secret Service special agent walking the perimeter of the golf course spotted what appeared to be a rifle poking out of the tree line. The agent then fired in the direction of the rifle and saw Routh fleeing the area and entering his Nissan vehicle.
“In the area of the tree line where the suspect was seen, agents found a digital camera, two bags, including a backpack, and a loaded SKS-style 7.62×39 caliber rifle with a scope. The serial number on the rifle was obliterated and unreadable to the naked eye.”
Palm Beach County Sheriff, Ric Bradshaw, initially described the weapon found in the tree line as an AK-47-style rifle. Agents also found a black bag in the tree line containing food, according to the complaint.
Although Trump was not harmed in the incident and was taken to a safe location by Secret Service agents, the FBI had said the incident might be another assassination attempt on the Republican presidential nominee.
While in Court on Monday, Prosecutors charged Routh with possession of a firearm as a convicted felon and possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number.
Routh did not enter a plea to the charges and was ordered to return to court on September 23 for a pre-detention hearing. His arraignment has been scheduled for September 30.
When a judge asked Routh a series of questions to determine if he qualified for a public defender during an eight-minute hearing, Routh said he earns a monthly income of around $3,000, owns two trucks in Hawaii that are worth approximately $1,000 each, owns no real estate and has “zero” savings. He also informed the court that he has a 25-year-old son.
Routh has been assigned a federal public defender, Kristy R. Militello, to represent him. Officials said he could face up to 15 years in prison if convicted on the first charge, and a possible five-year sentence on the second charge.
