"These defendants brutalized multiple victims, singling them out due to their sexual orientation." said Acting U.S. Attorney Prerak Shah. "We cannot allow this sort of violence to fester unchecked."
According to court documents filed in connection with his guilty plea, Jenkins admitted that he and his co-conspirators created a fake profile on Grindr, a dating app used primarily by gay men, to lure gay men to a vacant apartment and other areas in and around Dallas.
The men robbed, pistol-whipped, beat, and assaulted the victims, authorities said.
According to prosecutors, at least two were smeared with feces and urinated on, and one was sexually assaulted with an object. An indictment said the men were also subjected to anti-gay slurs.