**Man Pleads Not Guilty to Attempted Assassination of Former President Donald Trump**

Ryan Wesley Routh appeared in court on Monday, pleading not guilty to five charges, one of which includes the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump. The charges stem from an incident earlier this month at Trump's Florida golf course.

Dressed in a brown prison jumpsuit and entering the courtroom in handcuffs, Routh remained attentive as he communicated with his defense attorneys during the brief arraignment before U.S. Magistrate Judge Bruce E. Reinhart. He acknowledged each charge read to him, and his attorneys formally entered a not guilty plea, requesting a jury trial. The subsequent court date has yet to be set.

If found guilty, 58-year-old Routh could face a life sentence. The charges against him escalated when U.S. Secret Service agents discovered him armed with a high-powered rifle on September 15 near the Trump International Golf Club. Agents noticed the rifle barrel protruding from the bushes and opened fire when Routh attempted to escape. Prosecutors have asserted that Routh's intention was to assassinate the Republican presidential candidate.

Routh faces multiple allegations, including the assault of a federal officer and several firearms violations, following an indictment last week. Prosecutors also brought to light a handwritten letter Routh had left months earlier with a friend, expressing his failed assassination attempt on Trump and his exhaustive efforts. Investigators also found records indicating Routh monitored Trump's public appearances and sought ways to travel from West Palm Beach to Mexico.

Routh's legal team had previously advocated for his release pending trial, but a federal judge maintained his detention. His additional charges include illegal possession of firearms and an assault on a Secret Service agent. The FBI continues its investigation into the incident.

This arrest comes on the heels of a similar attempted assassination in July at a Trump rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. The attacker, Thomas Crooks, injured Trump and two others, ultimately killing one man, Corey Comperatore, before being fatally shot by a Secret Service sniper.