Man arrested near Obama's home charged

The man arrested near Sen. Barack Obama's home with a gun in his car has been charged with trespassing and unlawful use of a weapon by a felon, police said.
Sengstacke-small.jpg

Omhari L. Sengstacke (right) approached the security perimeter of Obama's residence, which is about a block from his Kenwood neighborhood home, at about 5 a.m. and was stopped by a Chicago police officer assigned to the U.S. Secret Service security detail, police said.

Sengstacke, 31, of the 3400 block of South Prairie Avenue, drove up in his vehicle and got out of the car, and "appeared to be intoxicated," she police spokeswoman Monique Bond. The officer spoke with the man, who then left and returned shortly, she said. The officer questioned the man again, and then found a weapon in his vehicle, she said. Sengstacke did not threaten Obama, she said.

According to a source, police also found a bullet-proof vest in the vehicle. The source said the man also talked about wanting to get a job.

"He was not considered to be an imminent threat and he didn't make any threats," she said.

Sengstacke has previous convictions on forgery, battery and assault charges, court records show.

The area where the man was stopped is a check-point of sorts, where police have placed signs warning passersby not to enter.

Obama's campaign typically declines comment on security matters and did so this morning in relation to this incident.

The Democratic nominee was scheduled this morning to fly from Chicago to Florida, where he will practice for Friday's debate with Sen. John McCain.

It was unknown whether Obama was home at the time of the man's arrest, although he likely was because he had been out late Monday evening attending two fundraisers in Chicago.

His public schedule did not reflect any appointments that early, although he does often work out outside his home in the morning.

The U.S. Secret Service stepped up security for Obama when he officially became the Democratic nominee. In late August, steel barricades were installed near his Kenwood neighborhood home, along with parking restrictions that angered some neighbors who complained that parking already was short in the neighborhood.