Suspected White House intruder charged

A 26-year-old California man has been charged after being arrested late Friday for breaching the grounds of the White House. 

Jonathan Tran of Milpitas, Calif., is charged with entering or remaining on restricted grounds while possessing a dangerous weapon, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia said in a news release.

The charge carries up to 10 years in prison if convicted. Tran appeared in court on Saturday and will appear again on Monday afternoon.

{mosads}According to court documents, Tran was found carrying two cans of mace in addition to a letter he wrote to President Trump. He said in the letter that he had information relevant to the issue of “Russian hackers,” according to charging documents.

“I am a friend of the president. I have an appointment,” the man told the arresting Secret Service agent, according to documents.

The Secret Service agent, identified in documents as a member of the White House’s Uniform Division, arrested Tran after he said the suspect told him he had jumped the fence.

The suspect was also carrying a laptop and “a book written by President Trump,” according to court documents.

Trump was reportedly in the White House at the time of the incident, which occurred just before midnight Friday evening. 

Trump praised the Secret Service on Saturday for apprehending the suspect, whom he referred to as “a troubled person,” according to pool reports.