The son of the man suspected of attempting to assassinate Donald Trump has been arrested on federal charges of possessing child sexual abuse images.
Oran Routh was arrested this week after authorities searched his home in Greensboro, North Carolina, “in connection with an investigation unrelated to child exploitation,” an FBI official said in court papers.
Investigators who seized multiple electronic devices found hundreds of files depicting child sexual abuse, according to the court papers.
They included videos sent to Routh in July as well as chats from a messaging app commonly used by people who share child sexual abuse material, the FBI agent said.
Routh faces two charges of possessing and receiving child sexual abuse material.
He is expected to appear later on Tuesday in federal court in North Carolina.
His father is Ryan Routh, who is accused of attempting to assassinate Mr Trump at his golf course in Florida earlier this month.
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Trump suspect note revealed
Trump suspect ‘wrote note detailing plans to kill former president’
Ryan Routh has been charged with federal gun offences, and on Monday a federal judge agreed with Justice Department prosecutors he should remain in jail while he awaits trial.
A prosecutor said they would pursue additional charges before a grand jury, accusing him of having tried to “assassinate a major political candidate”.
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Prosecutors say Ryan Routh left a note detailing his plans to kill the former president, which he placed in a box that was dropped off at the home of an unidentified person who did not open it until after he was arrested.
According to prosecutors, the note read: “This was an assassination attempt on Donald Trump but I failed you. I tried my best and gave it all the gumption I could muster.”
They also found a handwritten list of dates and locations where the Republican presidential nominee was expected to be, the filing said.
Ryan Routh was detained after gunshots were heard close to where Mr Trump was playing golf at his course in West Palm Beach on 15 September.
