A man from Nevada, who was detained over the weekend while possessing firearms at a security checkpoint near a Donald Trump rally in Southern California, has taken legal action against a sheriff, alleging that his arrest was inaccurately portrayed as a thwarted assassination attempt for the sheriff’s personal interests.
Identified as 49-year-old Vem Miller from Las Vegas, the individual was stopped by law enforcement officials while driving an unregistered black SUV that featured a “homemade” license plate, as stated by Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco during a news conference on Sunday. Miller reportedly had a shotgun, a loaded handgun, ammunition, and several counterfeit passports in his SUV.
After his arrest, Miller was released the same day after posting a $5,000 bail. In response to his arrest, he filed a lawsuit on Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Nevada, claiming that Sheriff Bianco misrepresented the situation, specifically regarding the alleged fake passports. The lawsuit asserts that the sheriff crafted a narrative to depict himself as a “heroic” figure who rescued Presidential candidate Trump from danger. The sheriff, the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department, and one sheriff’s deputy are named as defendants in the lawsuit.
On Wednesday, attempts to reach the sheriff’s executive office for comment resulted in a referral to the department’s communications office, which did not provide a response to an email inquiry. Miller’s attorney, Sigal Chattah, was also contacted for a comment but has yet to reply.
Tight security measures are currently a priority at Trump rallies following two assassination attempts in recent months. Just last month, an individual was indicted for attempted assassination after allegedly surveilling the former president for an extended period and expressing intent to kill him. This arrest in Florida occurred two months after another incident in Pennsylvania, where Trump was shot and injured during one of his rallies.
Sheriff Bianco mentioned that Miller claimed to be a journalist, although it remains uncertain whether he possessed adequate credentials. Deputies noted that the interior of Miller’s vehicle was in a state of disorder. Upon searching the vehicle, they found the weapons, ammunition, and various passports and driver’s licenses bearing different names.
Miller’s lawsuit claims that the sheriff’s department conducted an unlawful search of his SUV. Furthermore, it states that he had informed the officers at the checkpoint of the presence of weapons, stating his intention to leave them in the vehicle.
Miller is slated to appear in court in January to face charges pertaining to the weapons case. Online records indicate that he was apprehended on charges of possessing a loaded firearm and a high-capacity magazine.