The British national who attempted to steal a police officer’s gun in an effort to kill Donald Trump at a Las Vegas rally this past June pleaded guilty Tuesday to two charges tied to the incident.
(FOX)- Michael Steven Sandford, 20, entered the pleas to being an illegal alien in possession of a firearm and disrupting an official function.
“I tried to take a gun from a policeman to shoot someone with, and I’m pleading guilty,” Sandford told the judge.
Sandford, who was in the U.S. illegally after overstaying his visa, could have faced up to 20 years in a U.S. prison if he had been convicted at trial of both charges.
However, sentencing guidelines call for 18 to 27 months in prison for the offenses after credit for time served, accepting responsibility for the crime and avoiding trial, which had been set to start Oct. 3. Under the plea deal, Sandford won’t be able to appeal.
Sentencing is set for Dec. 13. Sandford, 20, was arrested June 18 after grabbing for the gun in a 1.500-seat venue at Treasure Island hotel-casino. Sandford didn’t get the gun, and no shots were fired before he was arrested.
Sanford entered his pleas after his mother, Lynne Sandford, and a lawyer arrived from London and met with him in custody last week.