A Man Was Caught With a Loaded Gun at a Trump Golf Club
Sheriff's deputies in Los Angeles County arrested Jeanine John Taele, 38, on Sunday at Trump National Golf Club in Rancho Palos Verdes, California. They found his car in the parking lot and discovered a loaded gun and a 16-round magazine, according to NPR reporting published Aug. 5.
Taele was taking photos and video and seemed to be watching how security was set up. This was two days before a fundraiser for President Trump at the golf course. Taele had a magazine — the part of a gun that holds bullets — with ammunition in his pocket. A loaded pistol was found in his car.
The arrest happened as Trump was preparing to arrive for a Republican National Committee fundraising dinner at the property.
The sheriff's department said Taele was already being investigated by the El Segundo Police Department for robbery. That investigation started before Sunday's arrest.
On Monday, law enforcement searched Taele's home in Downey, California. Officers found guns, magazines, ammunition, body armor, and notebooks with concerning statements, NPR reported. The department said there is no credible threat to the public tied to the arrest.
Taele was charged with several felonies, including second-degree robbery, having a large-capacity magazine, and possessing a short-barreled rifle or shotgun. He also faces a misdemeanor for carrying a concealed firearm in a vehicle. Earlier records from Aug. 4 had listed charges of carrying a concealed firearm and possession of armor-piercing or prohibited ammunition.
Taele pleaded not guilty to all charges on Monday. Bail was set at $250,000. A court ordered him to stay away from the golf course and not possess weapons.
The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department is led by Sheriff Robert G. Luna and has about 18,000 staff. Luna is the 34th sheriff of Los Angeles County.
The broader context here is about security at the golf course. Taele was able to walk through the parking lot with a loaded gun while appearing to scope out security ahead of a major event. That is the kind of gap that both the sheriff's department and the Secret Service — the agency responsible for protecting former presidents — will likely review.
The items found at Taele's home add to the robbery investigation by El Segundo police. They also give investigators more evidence than what deputies originally found at the golf course.
Taele is in custody. No further court dates have been made public.
