An illegal migrant from Venezuela was arrested near the White House after authorities allegedly found him inside a stolen vehicle containing three firearms and ammunition.
U.S. Secret Service officers arrested Ronny Yordrix Guanipa Chrinos Thursday night after noticing suspicious activity along Constitution Avenue in Washington, according to federal authorities.
The Department of Homeland Security said Chrinos allegedly told officers that he had traveled to Washington intending to kill President Donald Trump.
“When they confronted the suspect, he said that he heard voices in his head telling him to come to Washington, D.C. and kill President Trump,” DHS said.
A Secret Service officer encountered Chrinos shortly before midnight while patrolling near the White House complex, according to a criminal complaint reported by ABC News.
The officer approached a blue Ford F-150 parked on Constitution Avenue and asked Chrinos whether he was OK and possessed weapons.
Chrinos allegedly acknowledged having weapons and made a finger-gun gesture, according to the affidavit.
Officers subsequently determined the vehicle had been reported stolen.
Chrinos allegedly admitted firearms were inside the vehicle, prompting officers to search it.
Authorities recovered three weapons, including an AR-15-style rifle and two handguns, along with dozens of rounds of ammunition.
DHS photographs identified the weapons as an AR-15-style firearm, a Mac-10 and a Glock 43X.
The vehicle had reportedly been stolen from South Carolina.
Federal authorities identified Chrinos as a Venezuelan national who DHS says entered the United States illegally through Texas in March 2024.
Border Patrol apprehended Chrinos after that entry, but he was subsequently released into the country during the Biden administration, according to DHS.
Chrinos now faces numerous criminal charges stemming from Thursday’s arrest.
Those include carrying a rifle outside a home or business, three counts of unlawful transportation of a firearm and three counts of possessing an unregistered firearm.
He also faces three counts involving unregistered ammunition, possession of certain dangerous weapons and carrying a pistol without a license.
Authorities additionally charged Chrinos with unauthorized use of a motor vehicle, theft and receiving stolen property.
The charges are allegations, and Chrinos is presumed innocent unless convicted.
He remained in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service following his arrest.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement also lodged an immigration detainer against Chrinos, according to DHS.
Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin credited Secret Service officers with preventing the encounter from escalating.
“Thanks to our brave Secret Service officers, this criminal illegal alien with three firearms in his vehicle was arrested near the White House before he could harm anyone,” Mullin said.
Secret Service Director Sean Curran said the arrest illustrates the security challenges confronting agents protecting the president and White House complex.
“This incident reflects the heightened threat environment in which we operate, as well as the continued number of armed individuals who are drawn to the White House complex,” Curran said.
“While our personnel are trained to respond to situations like this, and we remain confident in our tactics, we are alarmed by the increase in threat cases that continue to arise.”
Curran also praised officers for de-escalating what authorities considered a potentially dangerous situation.
“This is the latest example of Secret Service personnel relying on extensive training and experience to de-escalate a volatile situation that posed an imminent threat to our protectees and other Americans,” he said.
The arrest comes after multiple threats and attacks targeting Trump in recent years, Fox News noted.
Trump survived an assassination attempt during a July 2024 campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, when a gunman opened fire from a nearby rooftop.
Trump was wounded in the ear, rally attendee Corey Comperatore was killed and two other spectators were seriously injured.
Federal authorities also disrupted a separate alleged assassination attempt at Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach, Florida, in September 2024.
The latest incident unfolded only blocks from the White House, with Secret Service officers encountering Chrinos before any attack occurred.
Authorities have not publicly alleged that Chrinos fired a weapon or breached the secured White House grounds.
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