WASHINGTON, DC – The Justice Department quietly charged two co-conspirators earlier in 2025 in the alleged attempt on President Donald Trump’s life, authorities say, was intended to be carried out by an individual named Ryan Wesley Routh. While the two cases in question have already concluded, news of the initial indictments has not been made public until now.
Back in September of 2024, 58-year-old Routh was charged with an alleged attempt on then-former President Trump’s life, with officials at the time claiming the Hawaiian resident planned to gun down President Trump while he was at Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach, Florida on September 15th, 2024.
At the time of the originating incident, officials say Routh was observed by Secret Service members conducting a security sweep of the golf course, with the suspect allegedly semi-concealed near the brush of the sixth hole while pointing a rifle at the agent who had initially discovered him.
The Secret Service agent in question reportedly opened fire on Routh after noticing the barrel of the rifle begin to move, leading to Routh fleeing on foot and getting into a nearby black Nissan Xterra.
The Marin County Sheriff’s Office, along with the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office, later apprehended Routh after his vehicle was spotted heading northbound on I-95 following the alleged assassination plot.
Officials reportedly discovered “an SKS semiautomatic rifle with a scope attached and an extended magazine” in the area where Routh was posted on the golf course, with the aforesaid firearm having its serial number obfuscated to the point of unreadability.
Furthermore, Routh was alleged to have had in his possession writings of various dates and locations where President Trump would be in the weeks prior to and leading up to the incident.
Routh has since pleaded not guilty to the charges, and his trial is slated to begin in September 2025.
However, in an update not publicized until now, the Justice Department had apparently filed charges against two individuals who officials claimed aided Routh in securing the firearm at the center of the originating incident.
Back in March, Tina Brown Cooper and Ronnie Jay Oxendine were both indicted on gun-related charges, with the duo having been taken into custody in April.
Oxendine wound up pleading guilty to possession of an unregistered firearm this past June, whereas Cooper pleaded guilty to firearm trafficking on July 7th.
Court records related to the matter stated Cooper was working for Oxendine at a roofing company at the time of the incident, with Oxendine apparently selling Routh the firearm whilst Cooper served as a sort of middleman for the transaction.
Most importantly regarding the matter, Routh was apparently a prohibited possessor due to a prior felony conviction.
When Routh initially contacted Cooper about looking for a firearm, Cooper reportedly told Routh to simply purchase one “from a pawnshop,” according to the Justice Department, but later “agreed to help Routh acquire” the SKS upon learning Routh was prohibited from purchasing firearms.
Officials learned that Oxendine was initially oblivious to Routh being the intended recipient of the firearm, assuming at the time that Cooper was simply looking to purchase the rifle for herself.
However, when the exchange occurred in August 2024, Oxendine was confronted with the true recipient being Routh as he accompanied Cooper to the meetup.
Despite the bait-and-switch nature of the transaction, Oxendine reportedly obliged Routh, with the Justice Department noting, “Oxendine asked Cooper why she did not tell him the firearm was for Routh.
Cooper responded that she though Oxendine would have an issue with Routh being the recipient of the firearm.”
While Cooper and Oxendine allegedly were unaware of Routh’s purported intentions with the secured firearm, Court records detailed additional communications that transpired between Cooper and Routh where Routh inquired about the location of the serial number on the SKS as well as where he could secure a .50 caliber rifle “on the street” considering his prohibited possessor status.
Despite the attempts to secure an additional rifle having never materialized, a further conspiracy was at play between Cooper and Oxendine following Routh’s arrest in September 2024.
Oxendine reportedly texted Cooper four days after Routh was arrested, informing the woman he’d been visited by the FBI with Cooper then instructing Oxendine to “not admit to anything” because authorities have “no proof.”
Cooper would go on to emphasize how the duo should abstain from cooperating with authorities via text, writing, “[I] know what [I] am doing. [I] do not know shit and [you] do not either.”
Cooper and Oxendine are slated to be sentenced this coming October.
It’s unclear whether Oxendine, who is not a U.S. citizen, will be facing additional consequences related to his immigration status in light of his guilty plea.
