Topline: Prosecutors say the Oregon man spent weeks researching anti-gay violence before arranging a meeting through the dating app and carrying out a brutal assault that left the victim with life-threatening injuries.
Published: March 6, 2026 8:34 am ET
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Daniel Andrew McGee (via Lane County Jail)
EUGENE, OR — A Springfield man who prosecutors say spent weeks researching anti-gay violence before carrying out a brutal attack on a man he met through a dating app has been sentenced to more than a decade in federal prison for a hate crime.
Daniel Andrew McGee, 26, was sentenced Wednesday to 151 months in federal prison followed by five years of supervised release, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon.
According to court documents, the attack occurred on the evening of July 5, 2021, after McGee contacted the victim through the dating application Grindr, a platform originally designed for and primarily used by gay men. Prosecutors said McGee arranged to meet the victim at the victim’s apartment, where the encounter quickly turned violent.
Authorities say McGee assaulted the victim for several minutes, striking him in the head with a wooden tire thumper and attempting to gouge out his eyes with his hands. The victim suffered life-threatening injuries during the attack, including severe head wounds, according to court filings.
Investigators later determined the assault had been carefully planned. According to federal authorities, McGee had been researching and preparing for the attack for weeks beforehand. For at least a month prior to the assault, he searched the internet for homophobic and graphically violent anti-gay content. Prosecutors said he also purchased the weapon and other materials from Amazon and searched online for advice on how to get away with murder.
On Nov. 18, 2021, a federal grand jury in Eugene returned a one-count indictment charging McGee with committing a federal hate crime involving an attempt to kill. McGee ultimately pleaded guilty to the charge on Nov. 25, 2025.
“The right to live safely in one’s community is a fundamental civil right,” said U.S. Attorney Scott E. Bradford for the District of Oregon. “The District of Oregon remains committed to combatting hate crimes and protecting that right for all. While no conviction can undo the harm caused, we hope this sentence will bring some measure of justice to the victim and our community.”
Federal investigators said the case reflects the broader impact such crimes can have beyond the immediate victim.
“Hate crimes impact not just individuals, but entire communities,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Matt Torres of the FBI Portland Field Office. “The FBI works together with our partners to prevent hate crimes from impacting our communities, and every attack on someone because of who and what they are deserves to be acted on by the full extent of the law.”
The FBI investigated the case with assistance from the Eugene Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Huynh for the District of Oregon and Trial Attorney Tenette Smith of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section prosecuted the case.
Presumption of Innocence: A presumption of innocence means that any defendant in a criminal trial is presumed to be innocent until they have been proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The defendant in this case is only accused of the charges set forth in the criminal complaint. They are innocent until proven guilty.
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Prosecutors say the Oregon man spent weeks researching anti-gay violence before arranging a meeting through the dating app and carrying out a brutal assault that left the victim with life-threatening injuries.
By Jacob Charles
Published: March 6, 2026 8:34 am ET
Daniel Andrew McGee (via Lane County Jail)
EUGENE, OR — A Springfield man who prosecutors say spent weeks researching anti-gay violence before carrying out a brutal attack on a man he met through a dating app has been sentenced to more than a decade in federal prison for a hate crime.
Daniel Andrew McGee, 26, was sentenced Wednesday to 151 months in federal prison followed by five years of supervised release, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon.
According to court documents, the attack occurred on the evening of July 5, 2021, after McGee contacted the victim through the dating application Grindr, a platform originally designed for and primarily used by gay men. Prosecutors said McGee arranged to meet the victim at the victim’s apartment, where the encounter quickly turned violent.
Authorities say McGee assaulted the victim for several minutes, striking him in the head with a wooden tire thumper and attempting to gouge out his eyes with his hands. The victim suffered life-threatening injuries during the attack, including severe head wounds, according to court filings.
Investigators later determined the assault had been carefully planned. According to federal authorities, McGee had been researching and preparing for the attack for weeks beforehand. For at least a month prior to the assault, he searched the internet for homophobic and graphically violent anti-gay content. Prosecutors said he also purchased the weapon and other materials from Amazon and searched online for advice on how to get away with murder.
On Nov. 18, 2021, a federal grand jury in Eugene returned a one-count indictment charging McGee with committing a federal hate crime involving an attempt to kill. McGee ultimately pleaded guilty to the charge on Nov. 25, 2025.
“The right to live safely in one’s community is a fundamental civil right,” said U.S. Attorney Scott E. Bradford for the District of Oregon. “The District of Oregon remains committed to combatting hate crimes and protecting that right for all. While no conviction can undo the harm caused, we hope this sentence will bring some measure of justice to the victim and our community.”
Federal investigators said the case reflects the broader impact such crimes can have beyond the immediate victim.
“Hate crimes impact not just individuals, but entire communities,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Matt Torres of the FBI Portland Field Office. “The FBI works together with our partners to prevent hate crimes from impacting our communities, and every attack on someone because of who and what they are deserves to be acted on by the full extent of the law.”
The FBI investigated the case with assistance from the Eugene Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Huynh for the District of Oregon and Trial Attorney Tenette Smith of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section prosecuted the case.
Presumption of Innocence: A presumption of innocence means that any defendant in a criminal trial is presumed to be innocent until they have been proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The defendant in this case is only accused of the charges set forth in the criminal complaint. They are innocent until proven guilty.
Editor's Note: ThePo makes every effort to accurately transcribe the contents of affidavits of probable cause contained in criminal complaints. Often, the complaints themselves are copies of copies of faxed copies, and are difficult to read. To confirm the accuracy of our transcription, contact the Magisterial District Court listed above and request a copy of the criminal complaint. It's a public record to which you are entitled.
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Editor Picks
Latest Articles
Man Who Lured Victim on Grindr in Planned Anti-Gay Attack Sentenced to 12+ Years
Prosecutors say the Oregon man spent weeks researching anti-gay violence before arranging a meeting through the dating app and carrying out a brutal assault that left the victim with life-threatening injuries.
By Jacob Charles
Published: March 6, 2026 8:34 am ET
Daniel Andrew McGee (via Lane County Jail)
EUGENE, OR — A Springfield man who prosecutors say spent weeks researching anti-gay violence before carrying out a brutal attack on a man he met through a dating app has been sentenced to more than a decade in federal prison for a hate crime.
Daniel Andrew McGee, 26, was sentenced Wednesday to 151 months in federal prison followed by five years of supervised release, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon.
According to court documents, the attack occurred on the evening of July 5, 2021, after McGee contacted the victim through the dating application Grindr, a platform originally designed for and primarily used by gay men. Prosecutors said McGee arranged to meet the victim at the victim’s apartment, where the encounter quickly turned violent.
Authorities say McGee assaulted the victim for several minutes, striking him in the head with a wooden tire thumper and attempting to gouge out his eyes with his hands. The victim suffered life-threatening injuries during the attack, including severe head wounds, according to court filings.
Investigators later determined the assault had been carefully planned. According to federal authorities, McGee had been researching and preparing for the attack for weeks beforehand. For at least a month prior to the assault, he searched the internet for homophobic and graphically violent anti-gay content. Prosecutors said he also purchased the weapon and other materials from Amazon and searched online for advice on how to get away with murder.
On Nov. 18, 2021, a federal grand jury in Eugene returned a one-count indictment charging McGee with committing a federal hate crime involving an attempt to kill. McGee ultimately pleaded guilty to the charge on Nov. 25, 2025.
“The right to live safely in one’s community is a fundamental civil right,” said U.S. Attorney Scott E. Bradford for the District of Oregon. “The District of Oregon remains committed to combatting hate crimes and protecting that right for all. While no conviction can undo the harm caused, we hope this sentence will bring some measure of justice to the victim and our community.”
Federal investigators said the case reflects the broader impact such crimes can have beyond the immediate victim.
“Hate crimes impact not just individuals, but entire communities,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Matt Torres of the FBI Portland Field Office. “The FBI works together with our partners to prevent hate crimes from impacting our communities, and every attack on someone because of who and what they are deserves to be acted on by the full extent of the law.”
The FBI investigated the case with assistance from the Eugene Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Huynh for the District of Oregon and Trial Attorney Tenette Smith of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section prosecuted the case.
Presumption of Innocence: A presumption of innocence means that any defendant in a criminal trial is presumed to be innocent until they have been proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The defendant in this case is only accused of the charges set forth in the criminal complaint. They are innocent until proven guilty.
Editor's Note: ThePo makes every effort to accurately transcribe the contents of affidavits of probable cause contained in criminal complaints. Often, the complaints themselves are copies of copies of faxed copies, and are difficult to read. To confirm the accuracy of our transcription, contact the Magisterial District Court listed above and request a copy of the criminal complaint. It's a public record to which you are entitled.
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