Portland, Ore.– A man accused of assaulting a federal officer during protests at the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement building in Portland, Oregon, was sentenced to 30 months in prison on Thursday.
Under the plea deal, Robert Jacob Hobbs pleaded guilty to one count of aggravated assault on a federal employee with a dangerous weapon. According to court documents, Hobbs threw a rock that hit an officer in the head and cut his eye during a protest last June.
Along with the prison term, U.S. District Judge Adrian Nelson in Portland also sentenced him to three years in prison with supervised release and ordered him to pay more than $8,000 in restitution.
“Today’s message is clear – violence is not protest,” Scott Bradford, US Attorney for the District of Oregon, said in a statement. “When you cross the line and assault a federal officer, you will be prosecuted.”
Hobbs’ attorney, Matthew McHenry, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Over the past year, the US Department of Justice sought this Prosecute people He is accused of assaulting federal officers during protests against President Donald Trump’s immigration policies in cities across the country, from Chicago to Los Angeles. Recently, A New Jersey immigration detention center It has become the latest flashpoint for clashes between protesters and law enforcement, with dozens arrested.
The Portland ICE Building was the location Ongoing protests Regarding the administration’s aggressive deportation practices since last June, including months of Night demonstrations and repeated efforts by federal authorities to disperse even small crowds with chemical munitions. Trump’s attempt to deploy the National Guard to Portland last fall for the stated purpose of protecting federal property and employees, which was blocked by the courts, also attracted protesters.
At least one other protester at the ICE building in Portland was sentenced to prison, but not for assaulting a federal officer. In March, Trenten Edward Parker was sentenced to 18 months in prison after pleading guilty to arson of a federal building. He was accused of throwing a lit torch at a pile of debris piled up on the gate of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement building last June, causing thousands of dollars in property damage, according to federal prosecutors.
At least four other Portland protesters have had their cases dismissed, including three accused of assaulting a federal officer. At least two cases have gone to trial, including one of a woman accused of assaulting an officer that ended in a mistrial, and another in which the defendant is appealing a year-long prison sentence for disobeying a lawful order and causing a disturbance.