Daniel Jenkins, Hate Crime and Violent Crimes, Texas 2017
A Texas man was sentenced to 280 months in federal prison for his role in a conspiracy to target gay men for violent crimes, including kidnapping and carjacking, using the dating app Grindr.
Daniel Jenkins, 22, of Dallas, was the last of four defendants to be sentenced in the case.
According to court documents, Jenkins and his co-conspirators used Grindr to lure men to an apartment complex in Dallas, where they were held at gunpoint and forced to withdraw cash from their accounts.
The conspiracy, which began in December 2017, targeted nine men in and around Dallas. Jenkins and his co-conspirators used gay slurs and taunted the victims, and at least one member of the conspiracy attempted to sexually assault a victim.
Jenkins pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit hate crimes, kidnapping, and carjacking; one hate crime count; and one count of use of a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. Under his plea agreement, Jenkins faced a maximum sentence of 26 years in prison.
His co-conspirators, Michael Atkinson, Pablo Ceniceros-Deleon, and Daryl Henry, had previously pleaded guilty and received sentences ranging from 11 to 22 years in prison.
The FBI's Dallas Field Office conducted the investigation, and the case serves as a reminder of the importance of vigilance when using online dating platforms.
Key Facts
- State: Federal
- Category: Violent Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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