WASHINGTON – A Pennsylvania physician who sent a text message about traveling to visit the president with a carload of weapons was arrested Wednesday at the Trump International Hotel in Washington after police found an assault-style rifle and handgun in his car, authorities said.
Bryan Moles of Edinboro, Pennsylvania, was taken into custody at the downtown hotel, where he was staying as a guest, police said. At a news conference, Metropolitan Police Department Chief Peter Newsham said his department, as well as the Secret Service, received a tip from the Pennsylvania State Police at about 12:30 a.m. The tipster reported that Moles might be traveling to the Trump Hotel in Washington, armed with weapons and ammunition.
Moles, 43, checked into the hotel about 1 a.m. Authorities worked with hotel security to locate him and his car.
“I was very concerned about this circumstance,” Newsham said, “and I believe the officers and our federal partners, and in particular the tipster, averted a potential disaster here in our nation’s capital.”
The Secret Service said its agents and local police began investigating a potential threat. But Deputy Special Agent Michael Ball said at Wednesday’s press conference the Secret Service had determined Moles “posed no threat” to any of the people the Secret Service protects, which includes presidents and vice presidents and their families, former presidents and visiting foreign dignitaries.