Virginia Man Claimed to Have Bomb, Asteroid at White House Security Checkpoint

A judge ordered the man held until a hearing Thursday afternoon

A Virginia man claimed to have a bomb and an asteroid in the trunk of his car after he was stopped at a White House checkpoint Saturday evening, according to an affidavit filed by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia.

The man was the second person arrested by the Secret Service on the White House grounds over the weekend.

Sean Keoughan, 29, of Roanoke, Virginia, was arrested by the Secret Service shortly after 11 p.m. on March 18. He was charged with threatening and conveying false information concerning use of an explosive.

A judge ordered Keoughan held until a hearing scheduled for Thursday afternoon. The federal charge is punishable by a statutory maximum of 10 years imprisonment.

According to a special agent for the Secret Service, Keoughan tried to gain access to the White House grounds twice, claiming he had a meeting with President Donald Trump. During the second attempt, the agent said, Keoughan told the security checkpoint, “There’s a bomb in the trunk.”

After he was arrested, officers asked Keoughan if he, indeed, had a bomb in the trunk of his car. He said he had a very large, very heavy bag in the trunk with an asteroid in it.

The Secret Service closed the area around the security checkpoint for about 4 ½ hours overnight Saturday to Sunday. No explosives were found, and officials have not said what, if anything, was located in the vehicle.

According to the affidavit, Keoughan claimed Trump spoke to him telepathically through a process called Think Talk. He said it allowed his mind to communicate with high level-officials, such as the president, the Secret Service and Delta Force.

Keoughan said he is a “peaceful hippie” who does not own any weapons. His vehicle was a rental car that was reported stolen from Roanoke. Investigators said the car allegedly was involved in a collision with a construction zone sign along Interstate 66 in Virginia.

Another man, William Rawlinson, 58, of Silver Spring, Maryland, was arrested earlier on March 18 after he was spotted behind a security barrier at the White House. According to charging documents, an officer heard the rattling of the barrier and saw Rawlinson in a restricted area, yelling “nonsensical statements.”

A judge released Rawlinson, pending a hearing set for April 12, on the condition he stays away from the White House and its grounds. He is officially charged with unlawful entry, a misdemeanor.

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