Oregon Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Bias-Motivated Attack

EUGENE, Ore. (Mar. 3, 2026) — A Springfield man was sentenced Tuesday to more than 12 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to a hate crime stemming from a 2021 assault that left a victim with life-threatening injuries.

Daniel Andrew McGee, 26, received a sentence of 151 months in prison and five years of supervised release in U.S. District Court in Eugene.

Prosecutors said the assault occurred July 5, 2021, after McGee and the victim connected through Grindr, a dating application originally designed for and primarily used by gay men. McGee went to the victim’s apartment, where he attacked him over the course of several minutes.

According to court documents, McGee struck the victim on the head with a wooden tire thumper and attempted to gouge the victim’s eyes with his hands. The victim sustained serious head injuries that were described as life-threatening.

Investigators later determined McGee had researched and planned the attack in advance. For at least a month prior to the assault, McGee searched online for homophobic and graphically violent anti-gay content, according to prosecutors. He also purchased the weapon and other materials online and conducted internet searches about how to get away with murder.

A federal grand jury in Eugene returned a one-count indictment against McGee on Nov. 18, 2021, charging him with a federal hate crime involving an attempt to kill. He pleaded guilty to the charge on Nov. 25, 2025.

In a statement, U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon Scott E. Bradford said the case underscores the federal government’s commitment to enforcing civil rights laws. Acting FBI Portland Special Agent in Charge Matt Torres said hate crimes affect both victims and the broader community and that federal authorities will pursue such cases under the law.

The case was investigated by the FBI with assistance from the Eugene Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Huynh of the District of Oregon and Trial Attorney Tenette Smith of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division.