Man arrested with guns near Trump Coachella rally had "homemade" license plate, multiple passports, sheriff says
Deputies assigned to former President Donald Trump's rally in California's Coachella Valley arrested a Las Vegas man on Saturday at a checkpoint for allegedly having a loaded firearm, a shotgun and a high-capacity magazine.
The suspect, identified by deputies as 49-year-old Vem Miller of Las Vegas, Nevada, was pulled over in a black SUV at the intersection of Avenue 52 and Celebration Drive in Coachella before Trump arrived at the location for his rally, according to the Riverside County Sheriff's Office.
During a news conference on Sunday, Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco, whose department assisted in security measures for the event, said that Miller's car had an "obviously fake license plate" that prompted the department to investigate further.
In a news release Sunday, the department said that the suspect was "illegally in possession of a shotgun, a loaded handgun, and a high-capacity magazine." Bianco said Miller's vehicle was unregistered and that multiple passports and driver's licenses with different names were found inside.
Bianco said Miller was taken into custody without incident on the inside perimeter of a much larger outer perimeter surrounding the rally venue, which deputies were patrolling on Saturday.
"The way it worked yesterday is only people that were allowed inside the perimeter, the outside perimeter, inside a vehicle was if you lived there or if you had documentation that said you were going to this rally," Bianco said.
He said that Miller "gave all indications that he belonged there" when he approached the outside perimeter of the event, so he was allowed to proceed. Deputies then spotted the "homemade" license plate, Bianco said, and noticed that the inside of the vehicle was "in disarray."
"The license plate was what we in law enforcement would recognize is one that is homemade and indicative of a group of individuals that claim to be sovereign citizens," Bianco said.
Following the arrest, he was booked at the John J. Benoit Detention Center on charges of possession of a loaded firearm and possession of a high-capacity magazine. He was released on bail shortly afterwards.
While the Riverside County Sheriff said he believes an assassination attempt was thwarted, the US Attorney's Office said in a statement that former President Trump was not in any danger and a federal official told CBS News there was no indication of an assassination attempt connected to this incident. The suspect was charged with two misdemeanor weapons charges and was released. No federal charges have been filed at this time and the investigation is ongoing according to a joint statement by the U.S. Attorney's Office, the FBI and the U.S. Secret Service.
Bianco said that his department is actively working with the Secret Service and FBI to continue the investigation.
"The U.S. Secret Service assesses that the incident did not impact protective operations and former President Trump was not in any danger. While no federal arrest has been made at this time, the investigation is ongoing," said a statement from the United States Attorney's Office.
On Monday, Miller told the Los Angeles Times that he has lawyers preparing a lawsuit against Riverside County over the "untrue" claims that were made about him in the days following his arrest. He repeated that claim in a phone interview with CBS News correspondent Scott MacFarlane, saying his "life is in danger" because of the sheriff's accusation.
Miller told CBS News he has served as a Nevada-based volunteer for the Trump campaign and was active in local organizing to help Trump secure a victory in the Nevada Republican primaries this year.
"I've been at over 20-plus events with Trump, some private where, literally, I could, like, reach out and touch the president. I've had conversations with Trump's sons," he said. Miller confirmed that he ran unsuccessfully for state office in Nevada in 2022 as — in his words — "a Trump-aligned candidate," and said he attended the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee in July.
Hours before, he posted a lengthy video on his personal social media accounts professing his innocence, stating that he wasn't feeling well at the time of his arrest because of specific health demands that he needed to address, but was not able to because of the ongoing situation.
The investigation remains ongoing, and anyone with additional information is urged to contact Deputy Coronado at the Palm Desert Sheriff's Station at (760) 836–1600.
Saturday's incident follows two assassination attempts on Trump in the past three months. In July, a gunman opened fire during Trump's rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, injuring Trump when a bullet grazed his ear and killing a rallygoer. Secret Service snipers shot and killed the gunman. And earlier this month, the Secret Service arrested a man with an AK-47-style weapon at Trump's Florida golf course who was 300-500 yards from the former president. The man, Ryan Wesley Routh, has been charged with attempted assassination of a political figure in addition to firearms charges.