This piece has been updated with new details.

WASHINGTON − Ryan Routh is facing charges for attempting to assassinate Donald Trump, as reported by the Justice Department on Tuesday evening.

The unusual drifter has been charged with attempting to murder a political candidate along with additional offenses.

Attorney General Merrick Garland commented, “Violence against public officials threatens the core values of our nation, and the Department of Justice will employ all possible means to ensure that Ryan Routh is held responsible for the attempted assassination of former President Trump, as detailed in the indictment.”

Routh, who is 58 years old, already faced two charges related to firearms after allegedly aiming a rifle through a fence at Trump’s golf club in West Palm Beach, Florida, on September 15, while the former president was there playing golf.

He is currently being held without the possibility of bail.

“This alleged attempt on the former President’s life at his golf course signifies a direct assault on our democratic system,” stated Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco.

The Unraveled Threads of a Would-Be Assassin’s Life

After Routh’s arrest, investigators have been delving into various aspects of his life since he attempted to flee the area around the Trump International Golf Club, where a Secret Service agent fired upon him as he pointed an SKS rifle over the fence.

This Monday, prosecutors revealed that Routh had been keeping watch on the Trump golf course for a month. They also disclosed that they found a note, written months prior to his arrest which began with “Dear World,” where he acknowledged his actions as an “assassination attempt.”

In the letter, he expressed, “This was an attempt on Donald Trump’s life, but I have let you down. I put in all my efforts. Now, it’s up to you to see it through; I will offer $150,000 to anyone who can get it done.”

The letter was found inside a box that Routh had previously left at a witness’s house, who reached out to authorities after Routh’s arrest. According to the Justice Department, the witness indicated that Routh had dropped off the box at his residence a few months earlier.

Routh’s situation also brought charges against his son. Oran Routh from Greensboro, North Carolina, is now charged with receiving and possessing child pornography following a search of his tablet by investigators.

The case against Routh has been assigned to U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon, who is also handling the federal case concerning Trump’s alleged mishandling of classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago estate.

This marks the second reported attempt on Trump’s life in a two-month span. On July 13, a 20-year-old sniper shot Trump in the ear and killed a campaign attendee during a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania before being shot dead by Secret Service agents. These events have placed the Secret Service under significant scrutiny.

In addition to the attempted assassination and weapons charges, Routh is facing allegations of assaulting a Secret Service agent.

During his detention hearing on Monday, Routh presented a copy of a 1991 article from the Greensboro, North Carolina, News & Record, highlighting that he was honored by the local chapter of the International Union of Police Associations. The award, resembling an Academy Award, was displayed prominently in his home.

The article recounted how Routh helped police in capturing a suspected rapist after hearing a woman scream in distress from an office building near his home. “I’m grateful to have been in the right place at the right time,” Routh shared with the publication.

Despite his past accolades, Routh has been ordered to remain in custody until his trial.

If found guilty, he faces a potential sentence of life imprisonment.