Man Sentenced to 30 Months for Assaulting Federal Officer During Protest

A man has been sentenced to 30 months in federal prison after admitting to assaulting a federal officer during a protest outside an ICE facility in Portland, Oregon, last year. Robert Jacob Hoopes had previously pleaded guilty to aggravated assault on a federal officer using a dangerous weapon.

In June 2025, Hoopes threw a rock that struck an ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations officer in the face, causing “serious bodily injury,” according to court documents. The injury resulted in significant bleeding and obstructed vision for the officer, necessitating treatment beyond basic first aid.

Oregon U.S. Attorney Scott Bradford noted, “Today’s message is clear: Violence is not protest. If you cross the line and assault a federal officer, you will be prosecuted.” Alongside his prison term, Hoopes was also sentenced to three years of supervised release and required to pay over $8,000 in restitution.

FBI agents identified Hoopes using facial recognition technology, which linked him to the crime through publicly available images. They discovered a matching tattoo on his forearm from a photo labeled “Canyon Day April 23” on Reed College’s SmugMug page.

Interestingly, Hoopes’ father described him as a “lifelong Quaker with a deep commitment to pacifism.” He mentioned that he did not oppose his son’s participation in protests but chose not to comment on the specifics of his actions, stating, “What his involvement was, I can’t speak to that, but he is deeply committed to justice.”

The Justice Department has been actively pursuing cases against multiple individuals accused of assaulting federal officers amid ongoing protests linked to former President Donald Trump’s immigration policies.