Prosecutors proceed with charges against two in separate White House breaches

A man from Pennsylvania was trying to pass a message to the president. A Virginian called himself the “highest God” and wanted to chat with the chief executive about wives. And a Canadian apparently got lost and didn’t realize he had breached the outer security perimeter of the White House.

Authorities say all three men were arrested within 16 hours between Sunday afternoon and Monday morning, an unusual spate of fence-line incidents in a short period of time at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. Prosecutors charged the two men who police say sought meetings with President Obama, and declined to charge the Canadian.

The Secret Service was unable on Tuesday to provide statistics on how many people appear to be trying to get onto the White House grounds.

The incidents could be garnering more attention after a man with a knife climbed a fence in September, got past officers and penetrated deep into the White house, making it to the East Room, before being stopped. Security has since been tightened, including the addition of new barriers.

[White House fence-jumper made it far deeper into building than previously known]

In October, a man jumped the fence and was captured by Secret Service dogs — Hurricane and Jordan. The Maryland man’s family said he wanted to tell the president his concerns about government surveillance and that he was being targeted by the Rothschild family who owned the Federal Reserve Bank.

On Feb. 1, a man tried to climb over a White House security barrier, authorities said. On Monday, Mauricio J. Aguirre, 23, of Northwest Washington, was offered a deferred prosecution. If he completes 32 hours of community service and stays away from the executive mansion, prosecutors will drop an unlawful entry charge, according Bill Miller, spokesman for the U.S. attorney’s office in the District. He is scheduled to return to court July 2. The arrest affidavit does not provide a motive, but says Aguirre told officers, “I didn’t do anything wrong. I didn’t cross the line.”

The first of the three latest incidents appears to be of a similar motive. An arrest affidavit says that a man climbed over the top of a stone wall on E Street Northwest, at the southeast corner of the White House complex, about 1:45 p.m. on Sunday. The court documents say the man passed signs that read, “Restricted area. Do not enter,” and “Pass holders and appointments only.”

When officers approached the man, the affidavit says he “turned around presenting his hands behind his back for arrest.” The court documents say, “He left [his] home of origin and drove to [the] White House to pass a message to the president.” Curtis W. Smith, 33, of Coatesville, Pa., was charged with unlawful entry. He was released from custody pending a hearing March 25. His attorney, Martin Rosendorf, declined to comment.

Later that night, about 11:30 p.m., a Secret Service spokesman said a 40-year-old man from Cambridge, Ontario, climbed over a bicycle rack near 15 and E streets Northwest. He was initially held on a charge of unlawful entry, but a spokesman for the U.S. attorney’s office in the District said the affidavit was reviewed, and prosecutors “declined to bring charges.”Authorities said it appears the man made an innocent mistake.

About 6:45 a.m. Monday, the Secret Service said another man tried to enter a gate near East Executive and Pennsylvania avenues as a construction worker was exiting. When stopped by a uniformed officer, the arrest affidavit says, the man “advised that he was here to see the president and believed he was the ‘higher God’ and wanted to talk to the president” about wives.

The affidavit says he refused orders to take his hands out of his jacket pockets and that it took four officers to arrest him. Michael J. Fogg, 27, of Newport News, Va., was charged with assault on a police officer and unlawful entry. He was released pending a hearing March 19. His attorney, Lisbeth Sapirstein, said she would say, “Not a word about Mr. Fogg,” when reached on Tuesday.