The man accused of trying to assassinate former President Donald Trump at his West Palm Beach golf course had been arrested more than 100 times.
A judge noted Ryan Wesley Routh’s long criminal record in an order to detain Routh ahead of his trial.
“The Defendant has a lengthy criminal history with over a hundred arrests, including convictions for multiple weapons charges and a conviction for possession of a weapon of mass destruction,” the judge wrote in the order.
Even before federal prosecutors charged Routh, 58, with the attempted assassination of a major presidential candidate, the judge wanted Routh to remain locked up while awaiting trial.
The judge said no set of conditions would assure Routh’s attendance at trial and protect public safety if he was released before trial. The judge based that decision on multiple factors, including “the nature of the current charges, the nature of additional charges that might be added, the weight of the evidence, the Defendant’s prior criminal history involving a conviction for possession of a weapon of mass destruction, and the Defendant’s recent travel to foreign countries.”
The judge referred to a Pretrial Service Report that noted Routh had recently traveled to both Taiwan and Ukraine.
In his 2023 book, “Ukraine’s Unwinnable War,” Routh wrote that Iran was free “to assassinate Trump.” The book said Trump’s decision to leave the Iran nuclear deal was a “tremendous blunder.” Routh referred to Trump as a “buffoon” and a “fool” for the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the Capitol.
On Tuesday afternoon, federal prosecutors indicted Routh for attempted assassination. Before that charge was filed, Trump had urged federal prosecutors to let the state of Florida prosecute Routh.
Routh also faces charges of possession of a firearm by a felon, possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number, assaulting a federal officer and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a violent crime.
In the latest indictment, prosecutors also requested Routh forfeit any proceeds from the alleged crimes. Prosecutors also sought forfeiture of any other firearms Routh owns.
An FBI agent detailed in court documents the inside of Routh’s alleged sniper nest where prosecutors said he waited for hours with a scope-fitted rifle. A photo of the nest showed two bags hanging from a fence off the sixth hole. An FBI agent said the bags contained plates that could stop small arms fire. In between the two bags was an SKS rifle with a scope. Agents matched a fingerprint on the rifle to Routh.
Prosecutors said Routh had been planning to kill the former president for months.
Agents found a handwritten list of dates in August, September and October 2024 and venues where Trump had appeared or was expected to be present in Routh’s Nissan Xterra.
Routh also left a note.
Routh, a resident of Hawaii and North Carolina and participant in the latter’s March 5 primary, left the note with a person federal prosecutors described as a civilian witness several months before the Sept. 15 incident. According to court records filed Monday, the person contacted law enforcement on Wednesday. The letter offered money to anyone who would finish the job.
The letter reads in part, “This was an assassination attempt on Donald Trump but I failed you. I tried my best and gave it all the gumption I could muster. It is up to you now to finish the job; and I will offer $150,000 to whomever can complete the job.”
