A person with weapons in his house and automobile who gave the impression to be “monitoring security-planning actions” on the Los Angeles-area Trump Nationwide Golf Membership was arrested days earlier than a deliberate presidential go to, the county sheriff’s division mentioned Tuesday.
Jeanine John Taele, 38, a resident of the Los Angeles-area metropolis of Downey, was arrested Sunday on the course in Rancho Palos Verdes, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Division mentioned.
The division mentioned deputies discovered a loaded journal with hollow-point bullets in Taele’s pants pocket after they’d been contacted by plainclothes federal brokers concerning a suspicious particular person at 3:28 p.m.
“The person was noticed strolling all through the golf course grounds taking images and movies and showing to watch security-planning actions,” the sheriff’s division mentioned in a press release.
The division mentioned deputies arrived and made contact with Taele and realized he was underneath investigation for theft within the Los Angeles-area metropolis of El Segundo. In addition they discovered a loaded pistol in his automobile on the membership’s car parking zone, officers mentioned.
Taele was arrested on suspicion of carrying a hid firearm and possession of armor-piercing or in any other case prohibited ammunition, the sheriff’s division mentioned.
Taele’s house was searched Monday, and an “illegally modified AR platform rifle,” a .45-caliber pistol, physique armor, high-capacity magazines and ammunition had been discovered, the sheriff’s division mentioned.
“A number of notebooks containing regarding statements” and two “radio sign gadgets” had been additionally found, the sheriff’s division mentioned.
First Assistant U.S. Legal professional Bilal A. Essayli mentioned in a press release Tuesday evening that Taele has ben charged in a federal legal criticism with possession of an unregistered short-barreled rifle. The highest federal prosecutor for the Los Angeles area mentioned the felony cost carries a minimal sentence of 10 years in jail.
The arrest got here two days earlier than Donald Trump was scheduled to go to Los Angeles and have a fundraiser on the golf resort. The sheriff’s division didn’t point out any direct menace to the president.
Trump arrived by Marine One helicopter on the golf resort at round 5:07 p.m. native time Tuesday, in keeping with pool reviews.
Taele has been charged in reference to the 2025 theft, in addition to the incident that started Sunday, in keeping with a legal criticism.
Jail data confirmed Taele was in custody Tuesday. On-line courtroom data didn’t seem to point out an lawyer for him Tuesday night, and efforts to discover a telephone quantity linked with him weren’t instantly profitable.
He’s charged with second-degree theft and likewise three different counts that cope with possessing a large-capacity journal, having a hid firearm in a automobile and possession of a short-barreled rifle, data present.
Rancho Palos Verdes is within the Los Angeles space however is a separate metropolis on the Pacific coast, round 20 miles southwest of downtown Los Angeles.
In 2024, one other man, Ryan Routh, was arrested in an assassination try on the president on the Trump Worldwide Golf Membership in West Palm Seashore, Florida.
Routh, who the Justice Division mentioned was noticed pointing an AK 47-style rifle from a “sniper’s disguise” close to a fence on the border of the golf course, was convicted in 2025 and sentenced to life in jail in February.
The president was scheduled to carry a fundraiser at his Rancho Palos Verdes golf course. Mekahlo Medina reviews for the NBC4 Information at 4 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 4, 2026.
