ROUTH’S CRIMINAL PAST: DOCUMENTS REVEAL LONG HISTORY OF THEFT AND FRAUD YEARS BEFORE TRUMP ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT
Years before Ryan Routh allegedly attempted to assassinate President Donald Trump, he ran a criminal operation involving the theft of high-value construction materials across Greensboro, North Carolina, according to newly revealed records reviewed by Headline USA.
The records stem from a 2010 investigation by the Greensboro Police Department, which ultimately led to Routh’s conviction on three felony counts of possessing stolen property. While his conviction has previously been reported, the extent and details of the case had remained largely under wraps—until now.
At the time, Routh owned and operated a company called United Roofing. A confidential informant told police that Routh exploited his access to construction sites to steal tools and building materials, which he stored in three 50-foot trailers and a warehouse. Police began investigating him after receiving tips during a broader probe into a series of burglaries involving stolen flat-screen televisions.
In January 2010, the case took a significant turn when police arrested Marshall Hinshaw—nicknamed “Marty”—who had reportedly sold a stolen washer and dryer to Routh in order to buy crack cocaine. Hinshaw’s arrest led police to further surveillance of Routh, who they learned was shifting stolen goods and driving a stolen pickup truck.
Police executed a series of search warrants starting on January 27, 2010. In the first trailer, they discovered items like new marble sinks belonging to another construction company. Just days later, they searched another trailer and found over $1,500 worth of stolen welding torches. A landowner who encountered Routh’s trailer told officers that someone had pulled a knife on him when asked to move it.
Despite Routh’s refusal to voluntarily allow police to search his third trailer, authorities obtained a warrant and uncovered even more stolen goods. Investigators also suspected that Routh had accomplices. One man, Cornelius Chisholm, was originally charged as a co-defendant but later had his charges dropped. Chisholm has a lengthy criminal record but little else is publicly known about him.
Though Routh was convicted, he received a minimal sentence—just two days in jail plus time served. Charges related to possessing a stolen vehicle and violating his previous probation were both dropped, the latter reportedly due to a clerical error.
Following his 2010 conviction, Routh continued a life of crime, culminating in his alleged plot to assassinate Trump. In the weeks leading up to the attempt, he was reportedly in contact with a human smuggler and was seeking to purchase a rocket launcher.
Marshall Hinshaw also continued criminal activity. Now serving an eight-year sentence for a 2021 felony break-in, Hinshaw’s LinkedIn profile suggests a background in the U.S. Army, listing experience in military operations and defense. Headline USA reached out to Hinshaw for comment on his past dealings with Routh, but received no response.
Routh’s federal trial is scheduled to begin in September.
COMMENTARY:
The recent revelations about Ryan Routh’s criminal history make one thing alarmingly clear: if the justice system had taken his earlier crimes seriously, the alleged attempt on President Donald Trump’s life might have been avoided. This is more than just hindsight—it’s a real example of how a failure in sentencing can ripple into national consequences.
Routh’s past wasn’t made up of minor infractions. In 2010, he was involved in a sophisticated criminal operation that involved stealing valuable materials from construction sites throughout Greensboro, North Carolina. This wasn’t a one-off theft. It was a pattern—organized, ongoing, and highly profitable. He operated under the cover of a legitimate business, United Roofing, and stashed his stolen goods in trailers and warehouses.
What’s worse, this all came while he was already on probation for a prior felony explosives conviction from 2002. Despite the serious nature of his crimes and clear signs of repeat behavior, Routh was convicted only of felony possession of stolen goods and served a mere two days in jail. A suspended sentence and time served allowed him to walk free once again. It was a stunningly soft response to a man with a dangerous record.
This leniency came at a steep cost. Had Routh been given a proper felony sentence and served significant time, it could have made it far more difficult for him to obtain weapons later in life. Federal law prohibits convicted felons from legally owning firearms. A longer prison term, or more aggressive prosecution, might have kept him on the radar of authorities—or better yet, behind bars.
This situation reflects a troubling trend in the justice system: a hesitance to impose strict penalties even when the evidence demands it. Far too often, repeat offenders are given chance after chance, while the rest of society absorbs the risk. In Routh’s case, those chances stacked up until they nearly ended in tragedy.
The purpose of sentencing is twofold: to deliver justice and to protect the public. When someone with a violent or criminal background is allowed to reoffend without serious consequences, the system fails at both. Routh’s 2010 conviction should have been a turning point—but instead, it was barely a bump in the road for him.
The years that followed only confirmed this failure. Routh reportedly remained involved in criminal activity, including working with a human smuggler and attempting to purchase a rocket launcher. His actions weren’t those of a rehabilitated man—they were signs of someone who never feared accountability.
The justice system’s leniency didn’t just allow Routh to continue stealing—it enabled his criminal development. A man who once trafficked in stolen tools eventually escalated to conspiring in what authorities say was an attempt to assassinate a former president. That’s a serious failure of legal oversight.
There will always be debates about the appropriate length and severity of prison sentences. But those debates must consider individuals like Routh, who had a documented pattern of serious offenses. This wasn’t a minor mistake or youthful indiscretion—it was an organized effort to exploit, steal, and avoid responsibility.
Proper felony sentencing can serve as a crucial barrier between dangerous individuals and the tools of violence. In Routh’s case, the system’s failure to impose that barrier may have helped him gain access to the rifle he allegedly planned to use. That alone should raise alarms for prosecutors and lawmakers.
It’s clear that there were multiple chances to intervene. Each time, the system chose leniency over caution, until the stakes became unimaginably high. The consequences of those choices weren’t confined to stolen property—they reached the very heart of national security.
This is not an argument for blanket harshness or indiscriminate incarceration. It’s a call for discernment, especially in cases involving repeat felons with escalating behavior. When someone shows repeated disregard for the law, the response must reflect the risk they pose.
Ryan Routh’s case should serve as a warning: soft penalties for serious crimes don’t just fail to rehabilitate—they actively endanger the public. By failing to lock him up when the signs were there, the justice system left the door open for something far worse to occur.
A system that can’t—or won’t—take threats like Routh seriously is one that leaves every citizen vulnerable. The point of the law isn’t just to respond after the fact. It’s to prevent future harm. And in this case, it failed on both fronts.
Had Routh been serving the sentence he deserved, it would have been much harder—if not impossible—for him to access the weapons and connections that now form the backdrop of a terrifying plot. That fact alone should spark urgent reform.
ARTICLE AND LINKS:
https://x.com/headlineusa/status/1923170111474508143?s=46&t=Z7ENS2wzTXqHGOnshmLMrA
https://x.com/headlineusa/status/1923171992615911451?s=46&t=Z7ENS2wzTXqHGOnshmLMrA
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