Venezuelan national Ronny Yordrix Guanipa Crinos was arrested in Washington near the White House after telling Secret Service agents that he was hearing voices instructing him to kill US President Donald Trump.
According to the US Department of Homeland Security, the incident occurred on Thursday evening. Secret Service agents spotted a vehicle parked on Constitution Avenue with 26-year-old Crinos asleep inside. It was a blue Ford F-150 pickup truck that had previously been reported stolen.
The agents initially tried to determine whether the man needed assistance. He then used Google Translate to tell them that voices were instructing him to come to Washington and kill Trump. According to investigators, he also said he wanted to turn over the weapons in his possession to the authorities.
A search of the vehicle uncovered an AR-15-style rifle, a MAC-10 submachine gun, a Glock 43X pistol and ammunition. Crinos said he had acquired the weapons about a month earlier and was living in the vehicle.
The man has been charged with illegally carrying and transporting firearms, possessing unregistered firearms and ammunition, unlawfully using a vehicle, and receiving stolen property.
According to the Department of Homeland Security, Crinos illegally entered the United States in 2024. Border Patrol agents arrested him but later released him. As of Friday, he remained in custody. Federal prosecutors are reviewing the case, and a court hearing is scheduled for Monday.
Secret Service Director Sean Curran said the incident highlights the importance of agents being prepared to handle potentially dangerous situations. He also expressed concern over the growing number of threats.
What makes this case unusual is that the man himself reported hearing the voices that were troubling him and expressed a willingness to surrender his weapons to the authorities. However, these circumstances do not diminish the serious security concerns raised by the incident: he was near the White House with several firearms and ammunition.
It is important to distinguish between established facts and circumstances that are still under investigation. The charges against Crinos concern the illegal handling and possession of firearms, as well as the use of a stolen vehicle. The circumstances under which he acquired the weapons, what happened before he arrived in Washington, and the extent to which his statements were connected to an actual plan of action remain to be established through the investigation. The upcoming court hearing marks the next important stage in the case.
