Arizona sex offender arrested for alleged threats against Trump

A sex offender who allegedly threatened to kill former President Donald Trump was arrested after a three-day manhunt in Arizona – near where the Republican presidential candidate arrived to speak about the border crisis, authorities said.

Robert Lee Syvrud, 66, was arrested at 2:30 p.m. on Thursday during a traffic stop in Cochise County – where Trump had arrived around noon as a guest of Sheriff Mark Dannels.

“Location of this individual was a priority,” Dannels' department said of the protection plan for Trump, who survived an assassination attempt at a rally in Pennsylvania last month.

Officials had previously released wanted posters for Syvrud, saying he was wanted for “threats to kill a presidential candidate” in online posts on Tuesday and again on Wednesday.

The investigation also revealed that he had “several outstanding warrants” – including for drunk driving in Wisconsin and hit-and-run in Arizona, where he is also wanted for failure to register as a sex offender, according to the sheriff's office.

“The information obtained led to a possible location in the St. David area and several units were dispatched there,” the sheriff's office said of the breakthrough in the manhunt on Thursday.

“At approximately 2:16 p.m., units on scene observed the suspect moving outside of the identified location and conducted a felony arrest. Syvrud was taken into custody at approximately 2:30 p.m. without further incident,” the department said.

He was arrested and taken into custody for failing to register as a sex offender and allegedly threatening Trump. It was not immediately clear what sex crime he was convicted of.

The arrest came as Trump was visiting Sierra Vista, Arizona, where he promised on Thursday to impose “tough new penalties” on illegal immigrants. His running mate, Senator JD Vance, was also recently in the same area to tour the border.

This death threat came after Trump survived an assassination attempt on July 13 during a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania.