{"id":112553,"date":"2019-12-14T12:25:24","date_gmt":"2019-12-14T17:25:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.gayfriendschat.com\/socialblog\/dallas-men-plead-guilty-to-federal-hate-crimes-for-luring-gay-men-to-violent-attacks-using-grindr\/"},"modified":"2019-12-14T12:25:24","modified_gmt":"2019-12-14T17:25:24","slug":"dallas-men-plead-guilty-to-federal-hate-crimes-for-luring-gay-men-to-violent-attacks-using-grindr","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.gayfriendschat.com\/socialblog\/dallas-men-plead-guilty-to-federal-hate-crimes-for-luring-gay-men-to-violent-attacks-using-grindr\/","title":{"rendered":"Dallas Men Plead Guilty to Federal Hate Crimes for Luring Gay Men to Violent Attacks Using Grindr"},"content":{"rendered":"

Dallas Men Plead Guilty to Federal Hate Crimes for Luring Gay Men to Violent Attacks Using Grindr<\/b><\/p>\n

Pablo Ceniceros-Deleon, 19, and Daryl Henry, 24.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Two Dallas men<\/a> pleaded guilty on Friday to federal hate crimes and other charges in connection with a scheme in which they created fake profiles on Grindr and posed as gay men interested in \u2018dates\u2019 to lure gay men<\/a> to an apartment complex in Dallas, Texas, in order to commit violent crimes against them.<\/p>\n

The Department of Justice reported<\/a>: \u201cAccording to court documents filed in connection with their guilty pleas, both Henry and Ceniceros-Deleon admitted Grindr was used, a social media dating platform primarily used by gay<\/a> men<\/a>, to lure gay<\/a> men<\/a> to a vacant apartment and other areas in and around Dallas for robbery, carjacking, kidnapping, and hate crimes. Henry admitted that he and others held the victims against their will in the vacant apartment. Ceniceros-Deleon admitted that he and others traveled to local ATMs to withdraw cash from the victims\u2019 accounts. Both Henry and Ceniceros-Deleon admitted that while the victims were being held captive they were subjected to taunts based upon the co-conspirators\u2019 perception of the men<\/a>\u2019s sexual orientation.\u00a0 In addition, Ceniceros-Deleon admitted to being the gunman in a Dec. 7, 2017, carjacking where he and others used Grindr to lure a man<\/a> to a location and then forced the man<\/a>, at gunpoint, to drive the conspirators to local ATMs to withdraw cash from the man<\/a>\u2019s account.\u201d<\/p>\n

According to the indictment<\/a>, \u201cthe conspirators used Grindr to lure nine victims to an apartment complex in Dallas from Dec. 6, 2017, through Dec. 11, 2017.\u00a0 On Dec. 11, 2017, the conspirators held five victims against their will in an apartment at the complex. Four of the victims were physically assaulted, three were sexually assaulted, and some victims were called gay<\/a> slurs. A conspirator also urinated and wiped human feces on at least one victim.\u201d<\/p>\n

Two other men<\/a> were involved in the criminal acts, Towleroad previously reported<\/a>. Michael Atkinson\u00a0pleaded guilty<\/a> to conspiracy and kidnapping charges in connection with this case and his sentencing is set for February. Atkinson will be sentenced in February of 2020. A fourth man<\/a>, Daniel Jenkins, is awaiting trial.<\/p>\n

Daniel Jenkins and Michael Atkinison.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Said Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband of the Civil Rights Division: \u201cKidnappings, carjackings, thefts, sexual assaults, and armed, violent attacks against innocent people are heinous crimes, and when perpetrators commit those crimes against victims because of their sexual orientation, the U.S. Department of Justice will continue zealously to seek justice for the victims and to punish the perpetrators to the full extent of the law. Prosecuting those who commit such monstrous acts because of victims\u2019 sexual orientation is a priority of the Department of Justice, and we will continue to bring to justice anyone who commits such hateful, violent crimes.\u201d<\/p>\n

Added U.S. Attorney Erin Nealy Cox for the Northern District of Texas: \u201cThese defendants used Grindr to single out their victim based on sexual orientation \u2013 something the Northern District of Texas simply will not tolerate. Unfortunately, this is not the first time a dating app user has fallen victim to a violent crime. I\u2019m urging the public to be vigilant about the dangers lurking online.\u201d<\/p>\n

The post Dallas Men Plead Guilty to Federal Hate Crimes for Luring Gay Men to Violent Attacks Using Grindr<\/a> appeared first on Towleroad Gay News<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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Dallas Men Plead Guilty to Federal Hate Crimes for Luring Gay Men to Violent Attacks Using Grindr<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n