NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
A California man was arrested Sunday at Trump National Golf Club in Rancho Palos Verdes after allegedly monitoring security planning activities days before the president’s visit, and was later found with a cache of weapons and body armor, authorities said.
Jeanine John Taele, 38, of Downey, pleaded not guilty Tuesday to four criminal charges stemming from his arrest outside the golf course days before President Donald Trump’s scheduled visit.
Trump arrived in Los Angeles late Tuesday for a Republican National Committee fundraiser.
A Los Angeles County judge set Taele’s bail at $250,000, ordered him not to possess any weapons, barred him from Trump National Golf Club and prohibited him from leaving California while the case is pending.
His next court appearance is scheduled for Aug. 26, for a preliminary hearing setting and bail review.
TWO YEARS AFTER BUTLER, THREATS AGAINST TRUMP KEEP ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT IN SHARP FOCUS
According to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, the investigation began on Sunday, when plainclothes federal agents spotted Taele walking the grounds of Trump National Golf Club while taking photographs and videos and appearing to monitor security-planning activities.
Deputies from the Lomita Sheriff’s Station responded around 3:30 p.m. and contacted Taele. During a pat-down, deputies allegedly recovered a 16-round magazine loaded with hollow-point ammunition from Taele’s pants pocket.
Authorities then searched his vehicle, which was parked in the golf course parking lot, and recovered a loaded pistol with a round in the chamber, along with another loaded magazine containing hollow-point ammunition.
Taele was initially arrested on suspicion of carrying a concealed firearm and possessing prohibited ammunition. Prosecutors later charged him with receiving a large-capacity magazine, carrying a concealed firearm in a vehicle and possession of a short-barreled rifle or shotgun.
The discovery prompted detectives with the Sheriff’s Department’s Major Crimes Bureau assigned to the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force to obtain a search warrant for Taele’s Downey home.
Investigators said they recovered an illegally modified AR-platform rifle; a 1911 .45-caliber pistol; an AR-platform upper receiver; body armor; high-capacity magazines; bulk pistol and rifle ammunition; two radio signal devices; and multiple notebooks containing what authorities described as “concerning statements.”
Separately, prosecutors also charged Taele with second-degree robbery in connection with an alleged Nov. 4, 2025, incident that was already under investigation by the El Segundo Police Department before Sunday’s arrest at the golf course.
The investigation is being conducted jointly by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force and the U.S. Secret Service. Officials said additional charges could be filed as the investigation continues.
Authorities said they have identified no credible threat to the surrounding community but noted the investigation remains active.
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
The FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office confirmed to Fox News Digital that the bureau’s Joint Terrorism Task Force is continuing to investigate the case with the U.S. Secret Service and the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department but declined to comment further because the investigation remains ongoing.
Fox News Digital has reached out to the U.S. Secret Service, the El Segundo Police Department and Trump National Golf Club for comment.
