RANCHO PALOS VERDES, CA. (THECOUNT) — Jeanine “Johnny” Taele, 38, of Midway City, California, was arrested Sunday outside the Trump National Golf Club after allegedly monitoring security-planning activities and photographing the grounds just days before President Donald Trump was scheduled to headline a fundraiser there, according to the L.A. County Sheriff’s Department.
Rancho Palos Verdes is located in Los Angeles County along the Pacific coast, approximately 30 miles south of downtown Los Angeles.
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Plainclothes federal agents spotted Taele walking the golf course grounds and taking pictures, prompting a response from local law enforcement, authorities said. When deputies arrived, they discovered a loaded magazine in Taele’s pocket. A subsequent search of his vehicle in the golf course parking lot revealed a loaded pistol and additional ammunition.
Trump is scheduled to appear at the golf course Tuesday night for a Republican National Committee fundraising dinner.
On Monday, investigators executed a search warrant at Taele’s Midway City residence. During the search, authorities recovered an illegally modified AR platform rifle, a .45-caliber pistol, body armor, high-capacity magazines and additional ammunition, according to law enforcement officials.
Taele was booked on suspicion of carrying a concealed firearm and possessing prohibited ammunition. He was being held pending further investigation and potential federal charges.
Public records indicate Taele currently resides in Midway City, an unincorporated community in Orange County. Between 2009 and 2016, his address was listed as Camp Pendleton, the major Marine Corps base in San Diego County, signaling he may be a former U.S. Marine.
The arrest comes amid heightened security protocols surrounding Trump’s scheduled appearance at the exclusive coastal golf resort. The Secret Service typically coordinates with local law enforcement to secure venues hosting current and former presidents.
The Trump National Golf Club Los Angeles sits atop oceanfront bluffs in the affluent Palos Verdes Peninsula, featuring panoramic views of the Pacific Ocean. The property has served as a venue for political events and fundraising activities since Trump’s entry into politics.
Law enforcement officials have not disclosed whether Taele made any statements regarding his intentions or whether he has any prior criminal history. The investigation remains active as federal authorities review the evidence collected during the vehicle and residential searches.
The L.A. County Sheriff’s Department is working in conjunction with federal partners to determine the scope of the security threat and whether additional charges will be filed.
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