Omar Gonzalez
(Source: LA Times)
WASHINGTON (AP) _ The man accused of jumping a White House fence and running into the presidential mansion while carrying a knife now faces a new weapons charge. A federal grand jury on Thursday returned the charge of possession of illegal ammunition magazines against Omar Gonzalez in an updated indictment. Gun magazines that hold more than 10 rounds were recovered from Gonzalez’s car after his Sept. 19 arrest. Such magazines are illegal under District of Columbia law. The new indictment also includes two federal counts that Gonzalez allegedly assaulted, resisted or impeded two U.S. Secret Service officers who apprehended him. The case is the latest in an embarrassing string of Secret Service security failures that led to the resignation of Secret Service director Julia Pierson.
The 42-year-old Army veteran from Texas also faces unrelated charges in Wythe County, after being stopped for reckless driving. When State Police pulled over Gonzalez on Interstate-81, he had a sawed off shotgun, two powerful rifles, four handguns, other guns and ammo with him. He also had a map with the White House circled. Gonzalez faces charges for eluding police and carrying possessing a sawed-off shotgun. Online records show he is scheduled to enter a plea on those charges December 1st.
