Three Texas men, including Michael Atkinson, 28, Pablo Ceniceros-Deleon, 21, and Daryl Henry, 24, have been sentenced to federal prison terms for their involvement in a scheme to target gay men for violent crimes using the gay dating app Grindr.
Atkinson was sentenced to more than 11 years in prison, while Ceniceros-Deleon received a 22-year sentence and Henry was given 20 years in prison. The men were part of a conspiracy to target as many as nine men in and around Dallas, Texas, between December 2017 and their eventual arrest.
According to court documents, the men used Grindr to lure men to an apartment complex in Dallas, where they would be held at gunpoint, kidnapped, carjacked, and assaulted. At least one victim was sexually assaulted, and all of the victims were taunted with gay slurs.
Atkinson and Henry admitted to joining the conspiracy to target gay men for violent crimes. Ceniceros-Deleon pleaded guilty to one hate crime count, one count of carjacking, and one count of use of a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.
The victims in this case were specifically targeted because of their sexual orientation, and the FBI worked with law enforcement partners to investigate the hate crimes and achieve justice for the victims.
The U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas, Prerak Shah, and Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division emphasized that these types of hate crimes will not be tolerated. Clarke stated that the bias-motivated violence runs contrary to the nation’s values and violates federal civil rights laws.
A fourth member of the conspiracy, Daniel Jenkins, is set to be sentenced on October 6, 2021, after pleading guilty to a hate crime count.
Related Federal Cases
- Jonathan Andrew Felkel, Hate-Fueled Shooting, Columbia SC, 2025 · Texas
- Faamanu “Junior” Vaifanua, Kidnapping and Torture, Anchorage AK, 2015 · Texas
- Devonte Okeith Mathis, Marijuana Trafficking and Aiding Gun Use, Tu… · Illinois
- Roberto Minuta, Seditious Conspiracy and Obstruction, Prosper TX, 2021 · Texas
- Noelani Kaili-Kai Mākua, Amtrak Shooter Co-Conspirator Pleads Guilt… · Texas
Key Facts
- State: Texas
- Category: Violent Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
ðŸâ€Â’ Get the grimiest stories delivered weekly. Subscribe free →
