Son of Ryan Routh, accused in Trump assassination attempt, arrested for child pornography
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(GUILFORD COUNTY, N.C.) — The son of Ryan Routh, the man arrested in connection with the second apparent assassination attempt of former President Donald Trump, has been taken into custody on federal charges of possessing child pornography.
Investigators say they discovered “hundreds” of files with child pornography during a search of Oran Routh’s residence in Guilford County, North Carolina, on Saturday conducted “in connection with an investigation unrelated to child exploitation.”
The two charges he faces include receipt of child pornography and possession of child pornography.
The “unrelated investigation” referred to Routh’s father — who remains in custody after a judge ordered him detained pending trial Monday — a spokesperson with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Carolina confirmed to ABC News.
Investigators said the pornography was found on a Samsung Galaxy Note device located inside Oran Routh’s primary bedroom in the residence, as well as another Galaxy Note device in Routh’s possession.
“A review of the SD card located in Device-1 revealed that it contained hundreds of child pornography files,” prosecutors wrote in the criminal complaint. “These files include videos from a known child pornography series created outside the state of North Carolina.”
The complaint included graphic descriptions of the videos and a chat from July in which Oran Routh allegedly responded to someone advertising the content for sale.
Oran Routh will make an initial appearance in North Carolina federal court later Tuesday.
He does not yet have an attorney listed for him.
His father, Ryan Routh, 58, has been charged with possession of a firearm as a convicted felon and possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number for the incident that took place at Trump International Golf Club on Sept. 15. Prosecutors said Monday they intend to ask a grand jury to consider a charge that Ryan Routh attempted to assassinate Trump.
(WILMINGTON, Del.) — The federal judge overseeing Hunter Biden’s conviction in Delaware on gun charges agreed Thursday to push back his sentencing date three weeks, from Nov. 13 to Dec. 4, granting a request by President Joe Biden’s son to allow more time for his attorneys to gather materials for his sentencing memorandum.
In their request this week to delay the sentencing, attorneys for Hunter Biden invoked the upcoming presidential election on Nov. 5 as one reason for the request.
“Several people who plan to submit letters to both Courts as part of sentencing memoranda for Mr. Biden are short of time because they are presently involved in government work and travel with the current Administration, or are involved in the 2024 presidential campaign,” attorneys for Hunter Biden wrote.
Attorneys for Hunter Biden also suggested that they may have “in-person witnesses” prepared to testify on his behalf, including some who “may not be available until after November 5 and the events that could occur right after that date.”
Prosecutors in special counsel David Weiss’ office had opposed the motion to reschedule sentencing.
Hunter Biden was found guilty in June on three felony counts related to his purchase of a firearm in 2018 while allegedly addicted to drugs.
Earlier this month, in a separate case, he pleaded guilty to nine federal tax-related charges in Los Angeles, where he is scheduled to be sentenced on Dec. 16.
Miguel J. Rodriguez Carrillo / AFP via Getty Images
Hurricane Milton is already causing travel disruptions as the storm takes aim at Florida’s west coast.
The hurricane is expected to make landfall as a Category 3 hurricane Wednesday night or early Thursday morning. Possible record storm surge is anticipated in the Tampa area. Flooding is also a risk throughout much of the state.
Mandatory evacuation orders have been issued for at least parts of 14 counties along Florida’s west coast, including in Charlotte, Citrus, Collier, Hernando, Hillsborough, Lee, Levy, Manatee, Pasco, Pinellas and Volusia.
Several airports have announced temporary closures ahead of landfall.
Airport closures
Tampa International Airport suspended operations beginning at 9 a.m. on Tuesday and will remain closed to the public “until it can assess any damage after the storm,” airport officials said.
The St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport, just outside of Tampa, closed at 12:30 p.m. on Tuesday, and will remain closed on Wednesday and Thursday.
“The airport is in a mandatory evacuation zone and is not a public shelter,” airport officials tweeted. “Prepare and stay safe.”
The Sarasota Bradenton International Airport in Sarasota closed at 4 p.m. Tuesday and will reopen “once safe to do so,” airport officials tweeted.
Commercial operations stopped at the Orlando Executive Airport at 10 p.m. Tuesday and at the Orlando International Airport at 8 a.m. Wednesday, airport officials said. Both will reopen as soon as it’s safe.
“While these airports will cease commercial operations, they are not closed to emergency/aid and relief flights and will remain open as necessary,” airport officials said. “Commercial operations will resume as soon as possible based on damage assessment.”
Orlando Sanford International Airport in Sanford also suspended operations at 8 a.m. Wednesday, airport officials said, while advising passengers to “stay tuned for updates.”
Miami International Airport and Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport will remain open and operational, with airport officials saying they are closely monitoring the storm.
Flight cancellations More than 1,700 flights have been canceled throughout the U.S. as of Wednesday morning, according to FlightAware. Orlando International Airport has the most, followed by Tampa.
Airlines were operating larger aircraft and adding more flights to their schedules ahead of the hurricane and airport closures.
The Department of Transportation is monitoring flights in and out of areas affected by Milton to “make sure airlines are not charging excessively increasing fares,” Secretary Pete Buttigieg said on X.
Rail service changes
Amtrak announced it will operate a modified schedule due to Milton.
Among the changes, trains on its Silver Service route will terminate at Jacksonville through Thursday, not continuing on south to stops including Orlando, Tampa and Miami. Select trains on its Silver Service route will also originate at Jacksonville through Friday.
The company’s Auto Train Service, which runs between the Washington, D.C., and Orlando areas, is canceled through Thursday.
Brightline, Florida’s high-speed rail, is also adjusting some of its scheduled trips due to Milton, including ceasing operations on Wednesday and Thursday between West Palm Beach and Orlando.
“We will resume full operations after an assessment of track conditions once the storm has passed,” the rail service said in an update on X while advising passengers with reservations to refer to their email for updates.
Other travel updates
Florida’s Department of Transportation began locking down drawbridges Tuesday afternoon in coordination with the United States Coast Guard.
The department has suspended lane closures and active construction work on interstates within the storm’s path. Tolls have also been suspended across central and west Florida, it said.
The Florida Division of Emergency Services announced Monday it has partnered with Uber to provide free rides to and from shelters. Free shuttles to shelters were also operating Tuesday in counties with an evacuation order in place, it said.
ABC News’ Clara McMichael and Ayesha Ali contributed to this report.
U.S. President Joe Biden speaks during a briefing on Hurricane Helene response and recovery efforts, in the Roosevelt Room of the White House on October 1, 2024 in Washington, DC. (SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images)
(WASHINGTON) — President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris will both head to the Southeast on Wednesday to survey damage wrought by Hurricane Helene, which so far is confirmed to have killed more than 160 people.
The president said Tuesday that the cost of the massive storm could stretch into the billions of dollars.
“We have to jump start this recovery process,” Biden said. “People are scared to death. This is urgent.”
Biden’s scheduled visit to North Carolina — which is expected to be a pivotal battleground state in next month’s presidential election — and South Carolina will include an aerial tour of Asheville in western North Carolina, which was one of the region’s worst hit areas.
“I’ve ensured my travel will not disrupt the ongoing response,” Biden said in a post to X. “I plan to travel to Georgia and Florida as soon as possible.”
Harris will travel to Georgia, another battleground state.
“The Vice President will also provide updates on Federal actions that are being taken to support emergency response and recovery efforts in Georgia and several other states throughout the southeast,” her office said in a statement.
Hundreds of people remain unaccounted for following Helene’s passage. More than 150,000 households have registered for assistance with the Federal Emergency Management Agency, Frank Matranga — an agency representative — said.
That number is expected to increase in the coming days, Matranga said. He noted that almost two million ready-to-eat meals and more than a million liters of water have been sent to the hardest-hit areas.
Wednesday’s visits by Biden and Harris come shortly after former President Donald Trump traveled to devastated Valdosta, Georgia, to see Helene’s destruction firsthand.
Trump also used the Monday visit to attack his Democratic opponents over their emergency response efforts.
“As you know, our country is in the final weeks of a hard-fought national election,” Trump said while in Valdosta.
“But in a time like this, when a crisis hits, when our fellow citizens cry out in need, none of that matters. We’re not talking about politics now. We have to all get together and get this solved. We need a lot of help. They have to have a lot of help down here,” Trump said.
Trump accused Biden and Harris of “being very nonresponsive,” claiming both had failed to speak to Georgia’s Republican Gov. Brian Kemp, though Kemp said they had.
The president hit back at the criticism.
“Let me get this straight — he’s lying,” Biden said during an Oval Office briefing with reporters, framing Trump’s remarks as “irresponsible.”
“I don’t know why he does this, and the reason I get so angry about it — I don’t care about what he says about me, I care what he communicates to the people that are in need. He implies that we’re not doing everything possible. We are. We are,” Biden said.
