A federal judge ordered Ryan Routh, the man accused in connection with an assassination attempt on former President Trump earlier this month, to remain in custody on Monday. Magistrate Judge Ryon McCabe granted the government’s request to detain Routh until the charges against him are resolved, during a hearing in Florida.
Before the hearing, the Justice Department had requested that the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida keep Routh in pretrial detention. McCabe concluded that the federal prosecutors had met their burden, citing strong evidence against Routh.
Routh faces federal charges for possessing a firearm with an obliterated serial number and for illegal firearm possession as a convicted felon. Prosecutors, however, suggested that more serious charges are likely forthcoming. They also informed the judge of their intention to present the case to a grand jury for an indictment on attempted assassination charges against Trump, which could carry a life sentence.
Additionally, prosecutors revealed that they had obtained a recording of a jailhouse phone conversation between Routh and a female acquaintance. In the call, Routh expressed remorse, saying he was “sorry,” while the woman indicated she was still “processing” the incident. “You did the worst thing you could have possibly done,” she told Routh, prompting him to apologize again.
Routh is expected to face more charges soon, possibly including aggravated assault for allegedly pointing a rifle at a Secret Service agent and making threats against the former president.
Routh is accused of targeting Trump, allegedly waiting outside a golf club where the former president was playing for roughly 12 hours. Judge McCabe noted evidence suggesting Routh had been stalking Trump for 30 days prior to the incident. When apprehended, Routh had a passport, a phone with searches related to traveling from Palm Beach to Florida, and was positioned near the sixth hole of the golf course with a rifle.
In court filings, prosecutors referenced Routh’s 2002 conviction for possessing a weapon of mass destruction, described as a “binary explosive device” with a fuse. During the hearing, Routh smiled at one point as his public defender argued that most of his more than 100 prior arrests were for non-violent crimes, such as writing bad checks and stealing sinks from construction sites.