Portland man sentenced to 30 months in prison for throwing rock at ICE officer during protest
A Portland man was sentenced to 30 months in federal prison Thursday after admitting to assaulting a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer with a rock during a protest in June last year, according to court records.
Robert Jacob Hoopes pleaded guilty to aggravated assault of a federal employee with a dangerous weapon. Court documents state Hoopes threw a rock that struck the officer in the face, causing significant injury. The officer’s wound bled heavily, obstructed his vision, and required medical treatment beyond basic first aid, prosecutors said.
U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon Scott Bradford emphasized that violence will not be tolerated during protests. In a statement, he said, “Today’s message is clear — violence is not a protest. When you cross the line and assault a federal officer, you will be prosecuted.”
In addition to the prison term, Hoopes was ordered to serve three years of supervised release and pay more than $8,000 in restitution. Federal investigators identified Hoopes through facial recognition software after reviewing a photograph posted online, according to court documents.
Prosecutors said the facial recognition software generated about 30 potential matches, leading investigators to Hoopes via a photograph on a Reed College SmugMug page. A tattoo visible on Hoopes’s forearm matched one seen during the June 14 protest.
Hoopes’s father, Tom Hoopes, described his son as a “lifelong Quaker who is deeply committed to pacifism,” but declined to comment on his son’s specific involvement in the protest. The Justice Department has pursued multiple cases against individuals accused of assaulting federal officers during protests related to immigration policies. Clashes outside a detention center in Newark, New Jersey, have also led to numerous arrests.
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