Portland Protester Gets 30 Months for Throwing Stone at Federal Officer

Robert Jacob Hopps was sentenced Friday to 30 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to aggravated assault on a federal officer. The case stems from violent protests outside an Immigration and Customs Enforcement, ICE, facility in Portland, Oregon, during which he threw a stone at an immigration officer.

According to court records, the rock struck the ICE officer in the face during a June 2025 demonstration and caused a significant injury. Prosecutors said the wound bled heavily, affected the officer’s vision, and required medical treatment beyond basic first aid.

U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon Scott Bradford said, “The message today is clear, violence is not protest. When you cross the line and attack a federal officer, you will be prosecuted.” In addition to prison time, Hopps was ordered to serve three years of supervised release and pay more than $8,000 in restitution.

Federal investigators identified Hopps using facial recognition technology after comparing a photo published by OregonLive.com with a commercial facial-recognition database. The search produced about 30 possible matches, and agents later linked a picture on Reed College’s SmugMug page, titled “Canyon Day April ’23,” as well as a tattoo on the person’s arm, to the suspect seen at the June 14 protest. Hopps’ father, Tom Hopps, previously described him as “a lifelong Quaker deeply committed to pacifism,” while saying he would not discuss his son’s specific role in the protest.