An armed man arrested at President Donald Trump’s California golf club allegedly possessed first lady Melania Trump’s schedule and detailed information about Secret Service personnel, according to prosecutors.
Jeanine John Taele, 38, was arrested after authorities said he was spotted at Trump National Golf Club Los Angeles in Rancho Palos Verdes on Aug. 2.
Prosecutors revealed Wednesday that Taele allegedly possessed seven notebooks containing 208 pages of writings, drawings and sketches connected to the property. The material reportedly included copies of Melania Trump’s schedule, Secret Service schedules and information about individual security personnel.
Los Angeles County Judge John Lonergan Jr. described the allegations as “alarming” during a court hearing Wednesday.
“This case itself is alarming in this day and age with the violence that is creeping into our everyday lives, especially with our partisanship in the political environment” ahead of the midterms, Lonergan said.
Authorities said plainclothes federal agents initially noticed Taele walking around the golf club while taking photographs and videos. Investigators alleged that he appeared to be observing security preparations ahead of a planned visit by Trump.
Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputies subsequently detained Taele and allegedly found a loaded 16-round magazine containing hollow-point ammunition in his pants pocket.
Authorities said a search of his vehicle uncovered a loaded handgun with a round in the chamber, along with another magazine containing hollow-point ammunition.
Taele allegedly told authorities that he worked for the State Department and was at the property as part of a security detail.
Investigators later searched his Downey residence, where authorities said they recovered an illegally modified AR-platform rifle, a .45-caliber handgun, body armor, high-capacity magazines, ammunition and radio signal equipment.
Multiple notebooks containing what investigators described as “concerning statements” were also recovered, according to the report. Some of Taele’s writings reportedly included detailed information about surviving “off the grid.”
The FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force, Secret Service and Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department are investigating the case.
Criminal proceedings against Taele have since been suspended after a pretrial evaluation found him mentally unfit to stand trial. His case was transferred to mental health court, and he is expected to remain jailed pending a Sept. 9 hearing.
Taele’s public defender, A.J. Bayne, cautioned against making assumptions about his client’s intentions.
“He’s a veteran, he served our country, and I don’t know enough right now, but he has a family that loves him, that has huge support for him,” Bayne said, adding that “people assume too much” about Taele’s motives.
Taele is a Marine veteran who served in Iraq and Afghanistan, per Trending Politics.
The Secret Service has previously declined to discuss specific details of the investigation but said the agency “thoroughly investigates any information or activity that may reasonably be perceived as a protective intelligence concern or indicate a potential threat or directed interest toward any individual under Secret Service protection.”
Trump addressed the arrest earlier this month, saying he took some “solace” in the idea that threats tend to target consequential presidents.
“And I am definitely consequential,” Trump said.
