PORTLAND, Ore. — A Portland man will spend two and a half years behind bars after being convicted of attacking a federal officer with a rock during demonstrations at the city’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility.
Robert Jacob Hoopes received his 30-month prison sentence Thursday after entering a guilty plea to aggravated assault of a federal employee with a dangerous weapon. Court records show Hoopes hurled a rock that struck an officer in the head, creating a cut above the officer’s eye during June protests.
U.S. District Judge Adrienne Nelson also imposed three years of supervised release following Hoopes’s prison term and required him to pay more than $8,000 in restitution.
“Today’s message is clear — violence is not a protest,” the U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon, Scott Bradford, said in a statement. “When you cross the line and assault a federal officer, you will be prosecuted.”
Hoopes’s defense attorney, Matthew McHenry, did not respond to requests for comment.
The case represents part of a broader Justice Department effort to pursue charges against individuals who allegedly attacked federal officers during demonstrations opposing President Donald Trump’s immigration policies in cities nationwide, spanning from Chicago to Los Angeles. Most recently, a New Jersey immigration detention facility has emerged as another site where protesters and law enforcement have clashed, resulting in numerous arrests.
Portland’s ICE facility has experienced ongoing demonstrations against the administration’s deportation policies since June, featuring nightly protests for months and repeated attempts by federal officials to break up even small gatherings using chemical weapons. Trump’s failed attempt to send National Guard troops to Portland last fall to protect federal facilities and workers, which courts prevented, also sparked additional protests.
Hoopes isn’t the only Portland ICE protester to receive prison time, though others weren’t convicted of officer assault. Trenten Edward Barker received an 18-month sentence in March after admitting to setting fire to a federal building. Prosecutors say he tossed a burning flare onto debris piled against the ICE building’s gate last June, causing thousands in property damage.
Four other Portland protesters have had their cases dropped, including three who faced federal officer assault charges. Two cases proceeded to trial — one involving a woman charged with officer assault that resulted in a hung jury, and another where the defendant received one year probation for disobeying lawful orders and causing a disturbance and is now appealing.
