A Springtown, Texas, man has been sentenced to more than 15 years in federal prison for perpetrating a violent hate crime, reports Sarah R. Saldana of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Texas.

According to the Department of Justice, 19-year-old Brice Johnson was sentenced on Monday, November 17, for kidnapping and severely beating a young homosexual man for his sexual orientation.

Johnson admitted in plea documents to using the dating platform MeetMe.com to lure a gay man - identified only as A.K. - to his house in the early hours of September 2, 2013. Johnson invited A.K. to the home where he was a long-term houseguest making plans of engaging in sexual activities.

When A.K. arrived at the house, Johnson severely beat A.K. and bound his wrists with cords before locking him in the trunk of his car and leaving the property. Johnson then reportedly drove to a family friend’s house where they advised he take A.K. in for medical treatment.

Johnson eventually took A.K. to an Emergency Medical Services station located in Springtown. A.K. was found to have suffered multiple facial and skull fractures and was hospitalized for 10 days.

At the sentencing U.S. District Judge for the Northern District of Texas Reed O’Connor determined the kidnapping and beating was perpetrated because of the victim’s sexual orientation.

“Quite simply, hate crimes of any nature will not be tolerated,” said U.S. Attorney Sarah R. Saldaña of the Northern District of Texas. “Prosecutions under this law are important to ensure all people in our community know they have the full protection of the law. I commend not only the victim for his continued cooperation throughout this investigation, but our law enforcement partners including the FBI, the Springtown Police Department and the Parker County Sheriff’s Office, who worked tirelessly in this case to ensure our hate crime laws are strictly enforced.”

The case was pursued by the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Texas and the FBI’s Dallas Division Office.

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