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Trump's airport security was breached by a dishonorably discharged US Marine who claimed he was part of the team

Jan 7, 2020, 05:43 IST
  • A dishonorably discharged US Marine was accused of impersonating a law enforcement officer and entering a protective zone around a private terminal used for President Donald Trump's flights into Florida, according to court documents.
  • Thirty seven-year-old Brandon Magnan of Florida told sheriff's deputies he was a Marine Corps law enforcement officer and presented a fake badge that included the Marine Corps' seal.
  • Magnan was allowed through the first checkpoint and drove towards a second one, where he was also permitted to continue after claiming he was a Marine law enforcement officer.
  • After he made it inside a protective zone, Magnan, who was not in a Marine Corps uniform "as in common practice during active presidential travel," was approached by Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office deputy, a Secret Service agent said in court documents.
  • Magnan posted a $100,000 bond with the help of his mother and was released on Monday.
  • Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

A dishonorably discharged US Marine was accused of impersonating a law enforcement officer and entering a protective zone around a private terminal used for President Donald Trump's flights in Florida, according to court documents.

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At around 3:00 p.m. local time on Sunday, 37-year-old Brandon Magnan of Florida and another unidentified male drove a maroon Honda Pilot towards a designated "protective zone" used for Trump's travels from West Palm Beach, Florida, to Washington, DC.

Speaking to the deputies at the first roadblock, Magnan claimed he was a Marine Corps law enforcement officer and presented a fake badge that included the Marine Corps' seal. Marine Corps pilots, ground crew, and military police are typically used for Trump's short, helicopter trips using Marine One.

Magnan was allowed through the first checkpoint and drove towards a second one, where he was also permitted to continue after claiming he was a Marine law enforcement officer.

After he made it inside a protective zone, Magnan, who was not in a Marine Corps uniform "as in common practice during active presidential travel," was approached by Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office deputy, a Secret Service agent said in court documents.

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The deputy then contacted the Marine Corps unit responsible for Trump's transportation, who then told them Magnan's credentials were counterfeited. After being confronted by the deputy, Magnan claimed he was a "retired" member of the Marine Corps' presidential entourage.

An investigation by the Naval Criminal Investigative Service revealed that Magnan was dishonorably discharged in 2010. NCIS and the Secret Service did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Magnan is accused of impersonating a law enforcement officer, which carries a maximum sentence of three years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Magnan posted a $100,000 bond with the help of his mother and was released on Monday.

Trump arrived back to Washington on Sunday after spending roughly two weeks at his Mar-a-Lago resort.

Security lapses within Mar-a-Lago have been discovered throughout Trump's presidency. Jing Lu, a 56-year-old Chinese national, was arrested for trespassing on Trump's resort in December. Lu, who had an expired visa, returned back to the resort to take photos after being instructed to leave the premises, authorities reportedly said.

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In September, 33-year-old Chinese national Yujing Zhang was found guilty for trespassing on the resort. She was discovered carrying several electronic devices, including a thumb-drive containing malware.

The Secret Service in a previous statement to WIRED said it is not responsible for the resort's guests:

"The Secret Service does not determine who is invited or welcome at Mar-a-Lago; this is the responsibility of the host entity," the Secret Service's statement said. "The Mar-a-Lago club management determines which members and guests are granted access to the property."

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