Philan-Tam-Duy Le, 35, of Julian was arrested Tuesday, August 25, after U.S. Capitol Police officers spotted his black Toyota Tacoma illegally parked along East Capitol Street near the U.S. Supreme Court, Library of Congress and Capitol grounds. According to Capitol Police, Le had driven from California to Washington, D.C. What initially appeared to be an unusual parking violation quickly became considerably more bizarre when officers noticed a towering wooden guillotine secured to a platform in the truck bed.
According to an arrest affidavit, the apparatus stood roughly 10 feet tall and contained what appeared to be a metal blade. When an officer asked Le whether the guillotine actually worked, Le reportedly responded that it was "the real deal." An officer touched the blade and determined that it was metal and sharpened at an angle.
Le was arrested on suspicion of carrying a dangerous weapon. Prosecutors later filed a misdemeanor charge of attempted possession of a prohibited weapon, and he pleaded not guilty during a Wednesday court appearance.
Federal prosecutors sought to keep Le jailed while the case proceeds, but D.C. Superior Court Magistrate Judge Robert Hildum declined. The judge noted that authorities had not alleged Le threatened anyone, attempted to flee or otherwise acted aggressively toward officers. Le was released pending further proceedings, with another court hearing scheduled for September.
Exactly why a man from the quiet mountain community of Julian drove more than 2,500 miles to Washington with an operational guillotine remains under investigation. Le told Capitol Police that he was not in the area for any particular reason and did not have problems with any specific members of Congress, according to court documents. Capitol Police said investigators were reviewing his background to determine why he traveled to Washington.
Social media activity reported by CNN, however, provides additional context about the unusual road trip. An Instagram account that appeared to belong to Le reportedly featured a video posted shortly before his arrest showing a man with the guillotine near the FBI building and referring to "Guillotine adventures" before indicating Capitol Hill was next.
An earlier August post reportedly showed the same man discussing political grievances, conspiracy theories and unelected officials while explaining that he had constructed the guillotine and intended to drive it to Washington. In that video, however, he reportedly described the device as being for "self-defense" and denied harboring violent intentions toward anyone.
Le's brother, Kelvin Le, told the Los Angeles Times that he believed the guillotine was intended as a "symbol of disapproval" rather than a threat. He described his brother as politically dissatisfied with both major parties and said Le disliked both President Donald Trump and California Gov. Gavin Newsom.
"I don't think he'd hurt anyone," Kelvin Le told the newspaper.
According to his brother, Le grew up in Carlsbad before eventually settling in Julian, the historic mountain town roughly 60 miles northeast of downtown San Diego. He reportedly worked at various times as a cook and tattoo artist and made jewelry and body piercings, with his brother describing him as a skilled craftsman who enjoyed road trips.
Authorities also questioned Le about firearms. Court documents indicate he told officers he possessed a California concealed-carry permit, owned a Springfield XD-M handgun and regularly trained with firearms, but said the gun was not with him. A police dog search of the truck did not locate a firearm. Capitol Police seized both the truck and guillotine following the arrest.
The incident comes amid heightened concern over threats directed toward federal officials. Congress was in recess when Le was arrested, and authorities have not publicly accused him of threatening any lawmaker or identifying a specific intended target.
The guillotine became infamous during the French Revolution as a mechanism of public execution by beheading and remains one of history's most recognizable symbols of political upheaval. In this case, however, authorities are still attempting to determine exactly what Le intended to communicate or accomplish by hauling one from San Diego County to the doorstep of the nation's Capitol.
Le's case remains pending.
Originally published on August 26, 2026.