Robert J. O’Neill, the former Navy SEAL who gained notoriety for publicly asserting that he was the operative responsible for killing Usama bin Laden, has been apprehended in Frisco, Texas.
The 47-year-old ex-member of SEAL Team Six faces charges of misdemeanor assault and public intoxication, according to a New York Post report published on Saturday.
O’Neill’s arrest occurred in Frisco, where he was scheduled to record a podcast at a cigar lounge. After being booked, he was released on the same day upon posting a $3,500 bond.
While the records indicate only the assault charge, details surrounding the incident remain limited, as the Frisco Police Department has not yet responded to inquiries from Fox News.
Renowned for his claim of eliminating Usama bin Laden during the 2011 raid on the terrorist leader’s compound in Pakistan, O’Neill shared his story in his 2017 book titled “The Operator.”
The publication of his account was met with controversy within the special warfare community, as covert missions typically adhere to a code of secrecy. The U.S. government has never officially confirmed O’Neill’s version of events.
Additionally, former SEAL Matt Bissonnette contradicted O’Neill’s narrative in his own book, asserting that a different SEAL had fired the fatal shots.
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O’Neill has a history of encounters with law enforcement. In 2016, he was arrested in his hometown of Montana on suspicion of driving under the influence.
He pleaded not guilty, attributing his condition to a prescribed sleep aid he had taken for insomnia. Eventually, the charge was dropped after prosecutors determined that his medication was responsible, and he participated in a treatment plan with the Department of Veterans Affairs.
Further, in 2020, O’Neill faced travel restrictions when he was banned from flying on Delta Air Lines for posting a photo of himself without a mask during a flight, despite the COVID-19 mandate in place at the time.
O’Neill has not yet responded to requests for comment from Fox News regarding his recent arrest. The incident adds another layer of complexity to the former SEAL’s already storied past and public profile.