LOS ANGELES — For nearly a decade, Jeanine John Taele was a U.S. Marine with tours in both Iraq and Afghanistan.

Until July 2025, the Downey resident was licensed to work as an armed security guard.

Then, over the last few days, authorities allege he twice roamed the grounds of Trump National Golf Club in advance of a presidential visit, wearing a radio earpiece, taking photos of Secret Service agents on the grounds and carrying a round of ammunition in his pocket. Taele was arrested Sunday during his second visit to the golf course. Authorities said they discovered a small cache of firearms at his home along with a security ID.

In federal court, Taele is charged with possession of an unregistered short-barreled rifle, a felony that carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison. His court appearance was rescheduled from Wednesday to an undetermined date.

His motives for being on the exclusive oceanside club grounds in Rancho Palos Verdes remain unclear. But the case is generating close attention given two earlier attempts on Trump’s life — the first in Butler, Pennsylvania, and another weeks later on a golf course in Florida.

Taele’s movements over the last few years are hard to piece together. But beyond the federal charge, he also faces state-level charges of receiving a large-capacity magazine, carrying a concealed weapon, possession of a short-barreled rifle and robbery, according to the criminal complaint filed by the Los Angeles district attorney’s office. According to El Segundo Police Lt. Eric Atkinson, on Nov. 4, Taele committed a strong-armed robbery in which he used force or fear rather than a weapon. Atkinson said they have been looking for Taele in connection with the crime since then.

The FBI, Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Secret Service are continuing to investigate.

The L.A. County public defender’s office, which is representing Taele on the state-level charges, did not immediately respond to a request for comment. He pleaded not guilty to the state charges Tuesday.

On Friday, federal agents initially saw a suspicious individual, who was later identified as Taele, walking around the golf course, according to the affidavit.

He allegedly drove to the golf course in a Toyota Tundra outfitted with a license plate that, according to the DMV, was not registered to the vehicle and was considered out of use since 2022.

He then returned to the location Sunday, authorities said.

L.A. County sheriff’s deputies detained Taele after he told federal agents there that he was a State Department employee on site for security detail, according to an affidavit filed with the criminal complaint in California’s Central District Court.

A background check revealed he had a warrant out of El Segundo, so they searched his truck and found a loaded 9mm pistol with hollow-point rounds, binoculars and a badge that read “security protection agent,” according to the affidavit.

Following an interview, sheriff’s detectives and FBI agents searched Taele’s Downey residence Monday and found an alarming stash of weapons — including an illegally modified AR-style rifle, a .45-caliber pistol, body armor, high-capacity magazines and bulk pistol ammunition. Detectives found notebooks containing “concerning statements” and two radio signal devices.

There was also another badge, this one gold or brass-colored, that read “Fugitive Recovery Bail Enforcement.”

“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,” said Patrick Grandy, assistant director in charge of the FBI’s Los Angeles field office. “There is no room for error, particularly in light of previous attempts on President Trump’s life.”

Taele lives in a salmon-colored one-story home on a tree-lined block in Downey. On Wednesday, the home was watched by TV cameras as people shuffled about inside. A Tesla and a vintage lowrider sat in the driveway.

Larry Rusin, 64, lives down the street. He recalled seeing Taele’s truck and reminding his neighbor to move it for street sweeping. On Monday night, he saw a swarm of police vehicles approaching the house.

He said he believes Taele was a roommate or staying with the owners of the Downey home.

“It’s a quiet street,” he said. “You never know who your neighbors are.”

State records show Taele is a licensed security guard through 2028 and was permitted to carry a firearm while working as a guard until 2025. He was allowed to carry a 9-millimeter and .40 caliber handgun. His gun permit was canceled when he was suspended for not qualifying, records show.

“While we are still investigating the motives of this individual, we are thankful he was apprehended before the President’s visit,” said 1st Assistant U.S. Atty. Bill Essayli in a statement. “Federal and local law enforcement stepped in early and prevented what could have been a dangerous situation from occurring.”

Taele was a Marine who reached the rank of corporal while serving at Camp Pendleton in San Diego County. He served from March 2008 to March 2016 and did tours in Iraq and Afghanistan. He earned medals for serving in those campaigns, along with two good conduct medals, a National Defense Service Medal, a Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, two Sea Service Deployment Ribbons and the NATO International Security Assistance Force Medal, according to the Marine Corps.

His military occupational specialty was warehouse clerk, and his final assignment was with the 1st Reconnaissance Battalion at Camp Pendleton. He deployed to Iraq from October 2008 to March 2009 and to Afghanistan from June 2010 to December 2010.

Authorities said they had identified “no credible threat to our communities.” The president’s Tuesday evening Republican Party fundraiser at the golf course took place as planned.

Responding to the notion it was a potential assassination plot, Trump told Fox News on Tuesday after the event, “Well, the only thing I get a little solace from is they say only consequential presidents, and I am definitely consequential.”

Reporters were not allowed inside the event, where a White House spokesperson said the president intended to tout his wins in advancing tax cuts and securing the border, while denouncing the “radical policies of Democrats like Gavin Newsom.”

Tuesday’s fundraiser marked Trump’s second trip to L.A. since returning to office, with the first taking place in January 2025 when he toured the fire-ravaged areas of Pacific Palisades.

Newsom used Trump’s visit to call attention to the fact that many residents in the Palisades and Altadena are still waiting for federal wildfire relief aid, writing on X that the president has returned to L.A. “not to help, but to host a fundraiser at his golf club.”

Trump departed Los Angeles without incident Tuesday night.

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(Los Angeles Times staff writers Ana Ceballos and James Queally contributed to this report.)

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