British man accused of plotting to shoot Donald Trump is indicted
Michael Steven Sandford, 20, has been in U.S. less than 2 years
A British man who authorities say tried to grab a police officer's gun to shoot presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump at a Las Vegas campaign rally was indicted Wednesday on federal criminal charges that, together, could get him up to 30 years in prison.
A grand jury on Wednesday charged Michael Steven Sandford, 20, with disrupting an official function and two firearm possession counts, U.S. Attorney Daniel Bogden said.
Sandford's arraignment was scheduled July 6 in Las Vegas. He remained in federal custody, and his lawyer didn't immediately respond Wednesday to messages seeking comment.
Federal agents say Sandford told them he drove to Las Vegas from San Bernardino, Calif., with a plan to kill Trump, and went to a Las Vegas gun range to learn to shoot the day before Trump appeared at the Treasure Island hotel-casino on June 18.
The U.S. Secret Service says Sandford approached a Las Vegas police officer at the Trump campaign stop at the 1,500-seat Mystere Theatre, said he wanted Trump's autograph, then grabbed for the officer's gun.
Sandford, who was unemployed, is accused of overstaying his U.S. entry visa by about nine months. Federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement lodged a detainer against him to take action on the immigration violation if he's released from jail.