Ryan Routh's former employee pleads guilty to helping arm Trump's alleged would-be assassin

Ryan Wesley Routh, a cheerleader for a Ukrainian brigade associated with neo-Nazis since its inception, allegedly attempted to assassinate the president at the Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach, Florida, on Sept. 15.

On that day, Routh — who made around 20 small donations to Democrats through ActBlue between 2019 and 2020 and whom the Biden Department of Homeland Security declined to investigate despite previous complaints — allegedly took aim at a U.S. Secret Service agent conducting a security sweep with an SKS semiautomatic 7.62x39 caliber rifle with a scope attached and an extended magazine.

One of the two individuals arrested in April and accused by the Department of Justice of selling Routh the same Chinese-made weapon pleaded guilty to firearm trafficking on Monday.

Acting U.S. Attorney Randall Galyon of the Middle District of North Carolina alleged in a pair of court filings — one in May and another last week — that Tina Brown Cooper, who ultimately entered the guilty plea, agreed and conspired with Ronnie Jay Oxendine, her former employer, to "sell and dispose of a firearm to a prohibited person (Routh)."

Cooper set up the deal despite knowing that Routh had previously been charged with multiple felonies after threatening to blow up a police station.

In a Sept. 22 interview with FBI agents, Oxendine allegedly indicated that he met Routh in the 1990s, when they both owned roofing companies, and that they periodically crossed paths at hardware supply stores. Cooper separately indicated that she had known Routh since approximately 1999 and had worked for his company, United Roofing.

Around mid-July 2024, Cooper asked her then-employer, Oxendine, whether he had any guns for sale, then later informed him in a July 27 text message that Routh was making his way to Greensboro, North Carolina, and wanted to meet, court documents said.

RELATED: Leftists normalizing 'assassination culture' — majority view violence against Trump as justified: Report

Screenshot of Martin County Sheriff's Office Facebook page

Cooper allegedly told federal agents that Routh called her in July 2024 and indicated he wanted to acquire the weapon for his son to use as protection. When Cooper supposedly suggested Routh just acquire one from a pawnshop, Routh indicated he was unable to do so because he was a convicted felon.

According to the court filing, Cooper asked Oxendine if he had an AK-47 for sale. Oxendine allegedly agreed to sell an SKS rifle, which, while chambered in 7.62x39mm, was not similarly fully automatic.

On Aug. 2, Oxendine allegedly confirmed to Cooper over the phone that he was at his place of business, Oxendine and Son Roofing Company, and had the SKS rifle with him. Cooper turned up with her adult daughter and Routh, the latter of whom allegedly paid Oxendine $350 in cash for the rifle and Cooper $100 for arranging the sale.

Cooper set up the deal despite knowing that Routh had previously been charged with multiple felonies after threatening to blow up a police station, court documents said. The alleged would-be assassin was convicted in 2002 on a possession of a weapon of mass destruction charge, North Carolina Department of Adult Correction records showed.

RELATED: Alleged attempted Trump assassin's political rant revealed in prison letter

Arrest of Ryan Routh. Photo by Martin County Sheriff's Office / Handout/Anadolu via Getty Images

Cooper — who was apparently chatting with Routh on Facebook Messenger from January 2014 until January 2022 — told FBI agents that upon learning of the alleged assassination attempt on Sept. 15, she deleted the contents of her phone to avoid any traces of involvement.

On Tuesday, the Department of Justice asked the federal court in Florida overseeing Routh's case to admit non-hearsay statements by Cooper as they relate to her alleged efforts to obtain firearms on Routh's behalf.

In the filing, the DOJ also claimed that the trio not only discussed the rifle's serial numbers post-sale, but discussed the matter of possibly also acquiring a .50-caliber rifle for Routh.

Routh filed a motion of his own on Tuesday, requesting a new defense team for his case.

He was charged last year with attempted assassination of a major presidential candidate, possessing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, assaulting a federal officer, illegally possessing a firearm and ammunition, and possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number. If convicted, Routh could spend the rest of his life in prison.

H/T: Headline USA

Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!