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| British tourist who tried to shoot Donald Trump faces two years in prison | British tourist who tried to shoot Donald Trump faces two years in prison |
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| A British tourist who caused a security scare at a Donald Trump campaign rally in Las Vegas in June by trying to grab a gun from a police officer has pleaded guilty to charges of illegal weapon possession and disorderly conduct. | A British tourist who caused a security scare at a Donald Trump campaign rally in Las Vegas in June by trying to grab a gun from a police officer has pleaded guilty to charges of illegal weapon possession and disorderly conduct. |
| Michael Steven Sandford, 20, admitted as part of his plea deal with prosecutors that he had approached a policeman at the event, saying he wanted an autograph from the presidential candidate, then tried to pull the officer's gun from his holster with both hands, according to court papers. | Michael Steven Sandford, 20, admitted as part of his plea deal with prosecutors that he had approached a policeman at the event, saying he wanted an autograph from the presidential candidate, then tried to pull the officer's gun from his holster with both hands, according to court papers. |
| Sandford, who had by then overstayed his tourist visa by about 10 months, was immediately arrested and removed from the rally. | Sandford, who had by then overstayed his tourist visa by about 10 months, was immediately arrested and removed from the rally. |
| He also acknowledged having visited a Las Vegas gun range the day before the June 18 incident at the Treasure Island casino-hotel, to take shooting lessons with a rented Glock handgun, firing 20 rounds at a paper target, court papers showed. | He also acknowledged having visited a Las Vegas gun range the day before the June 18 incident at the Treasure Island casino-hotel, to take shooting lessons with a rented Glock handgun, firing 20 rounds at a paper target, court papers showed. |
| No mention was made in the plea agreement about whether Sandford intended to harm Trump, then the presumptive Republican nominee in the US presidential race. | |
| In the initial June 20 criminal complaint stemming from the incident, prosecutors said Sandford had told a US Secret Service agent he had driven to Las Vegas from California with the aim of shooting Trump. | |
| On June 29, Sandford was charged with felony counts of being an illegal alien in possession of a firearm and disrupting government business, but he was not accused of plotting to kill Trump. | On June 29, Sandford was charged with felony counts of being an illegal alien in possession of a firearm and disrupting government business, but he was not accused of plotting to kill Trump. |
| At Tuesday's hearing in federal court in Las Vegas, Sandford pleaded guilty to those two charges, each of which carry a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine, the US Attorney's Office said in a statement. | |
| Sentencing is scheduled for 13 Decemebr and he is expected to receive about two years in prison. | |
| Brenda Weksler, one of Sandford's federal public defenders, declined to comment. | Brenda Weksler, one of Sandford's federal public defenders, declined to comment. |
| Reuters | Reuters |