A Downey man was charged on Aug. 4 in a federal criminal complaint with possession of an unregistered short-barreled rifle after being arrested at Trump National Golf Club Los Angeles while in possession of ammunition and a loaded firearm. Jeanine John Taele, 38, faces a felony charge that carries a statutory maximum sentence of 10 years in federal prison. He is also facing related criminal charges in Los Angeles Superior Court and is expected to make his initial appearance in United States District Court in downtown Los Angeles.
First Assistant United States Attorney Bill Essayli said, “While we are still investigating the motives of this individual, we are thankful he was apprehended before the President’s visit. Federal and local law enforcement stepped in early and prevented what could have been a dangerous situation from occurring. This investigation remains ongoing.”
Patrick Grandy, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office, said, “Mr. Taele’s troubling behavior at the President’s public golf course merely days before the President was expected to arrive raised serious red flags for law enforcement and led to the discovery of an unregistered firearm, a loaded weapon, as well as additional items of concern. There is no room for error, particularly in light of previous attempts on President Trump’s life, and the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force, working with our partners at the U.S. Secret Service, the ATF, and the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, will investigate this case thoroughly.”
According to an affidavit filed with the complaint, federal agents conducting a security assessment on July 31 ahead of former President Donald J. Trump’s scheduled visit observed Taele acting suspiciously at Trump National Golf Club by walking throughout the property wearing an earpiece and taking photographs and videos of security activities before leaving. On August 2 he returned; staff notified agents, who then spoke with Taele after he claimed to be employed by the State Department for security detail and admitted having a loaded firearm in his vehicle parked nearby.
Law enforcement determined that Taele was wanted regarding another robbery case out of El Segundo. A search revealed hollow-point ammunition on his person; further searches uncovered more weapons—including an illegally modified AR-platform rifle—body armor, high-capacity magazines and other equipment both from his truck at the scene as well as during a subsequent search at his residence.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California serves more than 19 million residents across seven counties; it focuses on prosecuting federal criminal cases while supporting community outreach programs focused on victim assistance and public education through collaboration with law enforcement partners, according to its official website.
Assistant United States Attorney Jordan Patterson is prosecuting this case.