Federal prosecutors have officially charged a man, identified as Ryan Wesley Routh, after an incident where he was found with a gun near Donald Trump's golf course in West Palm Beach, Florida. The charges, unsealed on Tuesday, allege that Routh attempted to assassinate the former President of the United States when he was in the vicinity where Trump was golfing on September 15. Routh faces serious allegations, including attempted assassination of a presidential candidate, with the potential maximum penalty of life imprisonment if convicted.

In addition to the attempted assassination charge, Routh also faces accusations of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence and assaulting a federal officer. Previously, Routh had been charged with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and possessing a firearm with an obliterated serial number. The case has now been assigned to U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon, who was nominated by Donald Trump and notably dismissed classified documents against the former president earlier this year.

The indictment was made public one day subsequent to a statement issued by Donald Trump, in which he criticized the Justice Department for allegedly downplaying the assassination plot against him. He urged state officials in Florida to take over the case, claiming that the charges against Routh were insufficient. Referring to the Justice Department under Kamala Harris and Joe Biden, Trump accused them of mishandling the situation and suggested a conflict of interest due to their purported vendetta against him. During Routh's court appearance, prosecutors hinted at the possibility of further charges, and he has been ordered to remain detained without bail until trial.