RANCHO PALOS VERDES, CA — Criminal proceedings have been suspended against the armed man arrested at Trump National Golf Club days before President Donald Trump's visit after questions were raised about his mental competency to stand trial.
Jeanine John Taele, 38, of Downey, is scheduled to appear Sept. 9 in Hollywood for a competency hearing after Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge John Lonergan Jr. declared a doubt about his competency during a court appearance Wednesday. Taele remains jailed without bail while the state case is paused.
He pleaded not guilty earlier this month to three felony charges, including possession of a short-barreled rifle or shotgun, manufacturing, importing, keeping for sale, giving or receiving a large-capacity magazine and second-degree robbery, according to City News Service.
He also faces a misdemeanor charge of carrying a concealed firearm in a vehicle. The robbery charge stems from a separate alleged incident in November 2025.
Taele is separately charged in federal court with possessing an unregistered short-barreled rifle, a felony that carries a statutory maximum sentence of 10 years in federal prison. The federal case remains pending.
Taele was arrested Aug. 2 at Trump National Golf Club in Rancho Palos Verdes while federal agents were conducting security assessments ahead of Trump's Aug. 4 visit to the property for a Republican National Committee fundraiser.
Federal agents first encountered Taele at the golf club on July 31, when investigators said he walked around the property wearing an earpiece and took photographs and videos of agents conducting security-planning activities.
Taele returned to the golf club Aug. 2 and told federal agents he worked for the U.S. State Department and was at the property as part of a security detail, according to the federal complaint. He also told agents he had a loaded firearm in his vehicle.
Los Angeles County sheriff's deputies later found a 16-round magazine loaded with hollow-point ammunition in Taele's pocket. A search of his pickup truck uncovered a loaded 9mm pistol, binoculars and a badge reading "security protection agent," according to federal prosecutors.
A subsequent search of Taele's Downey home uncovered an illegally modified AR-platform rifle, additional firearms, body armor, high-capacity magazines, ammunition, radio signal devices and notebooks containing what investigators described as "concerning statements."
The writings totaled about 200 pages and included schedules involving first lady Melania Trump and Secret Service personnel, details that Lonergan cited Wednesday while raising concerns about Taele's competency, according to the Associated Press.
Authorities said at the time of Taele's arrest that investigators had identified no credible threat to the community. His competency hearing is scheduled for Sept. 9 at the Hollywood Courthouse.
City News Service contributed to this report.
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