DENVER -- A man who sparked fears of an assassination plot against Barack Obama is scheduled to appear in court Friday afternoon on a federal drug charge.

Police in Aurora stopped Tharin Robert Gartrell for a traffic violation on Aug. 24, the day before the Democratic National Convention began. Gartrell was arrested near Denver with two rifles, a bulletproof vest, ammunition, walkie-talkies and suspected drugs.

That arrest led police to two other men: Nathan Johnson, 32, and Shawn Adolf, 33.

Federal officials decided against charging the men with threatening Obama, and said tat the time they were on meth at the time they made the alleged statements and that they posed no credible threat. However, the drug case was moved from state to federal court.

Gartrell faces up to two years in federal prison and a $250,000 fine, if convicted.

Adolf faces federal charges of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, possession of body armor by a violent felon, and possession of a controlled substance. Johnson is charged with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, and possession of methamphetamine.