An armed man arrested over the weekend at President Donald Trump's golf course in California, two days before the US leader's scheduled visit, has been charged with illegal firearm possession, authorities said.
"While we are still investigating the motives of this individual, we are thankful he was apprehended before the President's visit," First Assistant US Attorney Bill Essayli said in a statement late Tuesday.
Authorities have so far provided no evidence that the suspect, Jeanine John Taele, was targeting the president.
Taele, 38, first came to the attention of authorities on Friday at the Rancho Palos Verdes golf course, according to the criminal complaint.
He was spotted "walking throughout the golf course at the Trump Golf Club, wearing an earpiece, and taking photographs and videos of the federal agents' security-planning activities."
He returned to the course on Sunday, approached federal agents and claimed to be employed by the State Department on a security detail.
A background check revealed he was wanted on a theft warrant.
Deputies searched him and found a 16-round magazine containing hollow point ammunition in his pant pocket, and a search of his pickup truck in the club parking lot turned up a loaded 9mm pistol, binoculars and a badge that read "security protection agent."
Law enforcement searched Taele's home in nearby Downey on Monday and uncovered an illegally modified AR-style rifle with a barrel cut down to 25 centimetres from 35 centimetres, a pistol, body armour, high-capacity magazines, ammunition, two radios and "multiple notebooks containing concerning statements."
Taele is charged federally with possessing an unregistered short-barrelled rifle, an offence punishable by up to 10 years in prison.
He is scheduled to appear before a federal judge in Los Angeles on Wednesday afternoon, who will decide whether he should be released on bail.
He also faces multiple firearms-related charges under California law.
