• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
  • About Towleroad
  • Towleroad on Social Media
  • Privacy Policy

Towleroad Gay News

Gay Blog Towleroad: More than gay news | gay men

  • Travel
  • Sports
  • Law/Justice
  • Celebrities
  • Film/TV/Stream
  • Republicans
  • Madonna
  • Books
  • Men
  • Trans Rights
  • Tech/Science
  • Royals
  • Monkeypox

Texas Man Sentenced To 15 Years for Beating, Kidnapping Gay Man He Met Online

John Wright November 18, 2014

Keahey.arron

Brice Johnson thought he had beaten Arron Keahey to death before he bound him with electrical cord and placed him in the trunk of his Ford Fusion in Springtown, Texas, on Sept. 2, 2013.

But when Johnson arrived at a friend's house and Keahey screamed for help from the trunk, people at the house told Johnson to take Keahey to the hospital or they would call police.

After Johnson put Keahey in the back seat and drove him to an EMS station, Keahey spent 10 days in a Fort Worth hospital recovering from skull and facial fractures and a brain injury.

Johnson.BriceJohnson, now 20, was sentenced Monday to more than 15 years in federal prison after being charged with an anti-gay hate crime for beating and kidnapping Keahey after they met on MeetMe.com. Johnson, who claims he isn't gay, had lured Keahey to his home in Springtown, northwest of Fort Worth, with the promise of sex:

“Quite simply, hate crimes of any nature will not be tolerated,” U.S. Attorney Sarah R. Saldaña of the Northern District of Texas said in a statement Monday. “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.”

After meeting on MeetMe.com, Johnson and Keahey exchanged explicit messages and discussed what sexual activity they would engage in. Meanwhile, Johnson saved Keahey's number in his phone using the name, "Fag Bagg."

In recorded jail phone calls, Johnson told family members: "I invited this guy over, right, at first it was basically like a joke that went too far and too wrong. I invited him over because he was a fag or whatever."

The hate crime charge against Johnson was dropped in exchange for his guilty plea in June, and he was sentenced to 183 months in federal prison on a kidnapping charge.

Keahey, who was 24 at the time of the attack, launched a GoFundMe page which has raised $2,070. Keahey wrote on the page,

“I was recently lured and ambushed, beaten to almost an inch of my life, after meeting a man on a social app, simply because I am gay. I had to have facial reconstructive surgery, had brain trauma as well as memory loss, which is still affecting me pretty bad, and a lot of emotional backlash. I am constantly dealing with depression and other emotional problems still. In the midst of it all, I am trying to start my life over now. I am having a hard time doing so and am needing help with normal necessity bills and everyday expenses while I rebuild my life and get myself back to life and everything in order money wise. I am also hoping for some help with paying the large amount of medical bills. Any donation to me will be truly appreciated, and I cannot thank you enough for your support.

“Even if you do not have the resources to donate, please share this article and spread the word of what happened,” Keahey added. “I truly believe that the more problems like this in this country are talked about, the less it will happen and the closer we will be to a solution.”

Topics: Nature/Climate, News More Posts About: hate crime, News, Texas, Texas

Related Posts
  • Wisconsin prison guard who allegedly threw gay woman into a fire will get hate crime charges dropped: report
  • Texas Republicans’ Platform Calls Your LGBTQ Life an “Abnormal Lifestyle Choice”; Declares Biden Election Illegitimate, Despite Evidence;
  • U.S. files hate crimes charges against white gunman in Buffalo shooting
  • Friends co-creator Marta Kauffman admits pronouns ‘mistake’

    Friends co-creator Marta Kauffman admits pronouns ‘mistake’

    Published by BANG Showbiz English Marta Kauffman has admitted ‘Friends’ bosses made a “mistake” by using the wrong pronouns to describe a transgender character. In the show, Chandler Bing’s parent is referred to as his “dad” …Read More »
  • In Chicago, killings of transgender women of color often go unsolved. ‘There’s no justice,’ relatives say

    In Chicago, killings of transgender women of color often go unsolved. ‘There’s no justice,’ relatives say

    Published by Chicago Tribune CHICAGO — Speaking through tears, Rosemary Gamble returns again and again to the questions she would like to ask her granddaughter’s killer: Why did you do this? What could she have possibly …Read More »
  • Savage Garden star Darren Hayes was in a ‘dark place’ before coming out as gay

    Savage Garden star Darren Hayes was in a ‘dark place’ before coming out as gay

    Published by BANG Showbiz English Darren Hayes was in a “dark place” before he came out as gay. The 50-year-old star – who is best known as frontman and singer of the pop duo Savage Garden …Read More »
  • Ohio city Akron imposes curfew after protests over police killing of Black man

    Ohio city Akron imposes curfew after protests over police killing of Black man

    Published by Reuters By Daniel Trotta (Reuters) -The Ohio city of Akron declared a state of emergency on Monday, setting a curfew and canceling Independence Day fireworks, after protests over the police killing of an unarmed …Read More »
Previous Post: « Clean Bandit Covers the Robin S. Classic ‘Show Me Love’: LISTEN
Next Post: German Town Tricks Neo-Nazis into Marching Against Themselves: VIDEO »

Primary Sidebar

News

  • Margot Robbie & Ryan Gosling Skate Through A Day Of Filming ‘Barbie’ In Venice Beach: Photos

    Margot Robbie & Ryan Gosling Skate Through A Day Of Filming ‘Barbie’ In Venice Beach: Photos

  • Six killed in shooting during US July 4 parade

    Six killed in shooting during US July 4 parade

  • US drought exposes murky mob past of Las Vegas

    US drought exposes murky mob past of Las Vegas

RSS Partner Links

  • R. Kelly Is Suing The Detention Center He’s Living In For Putting Him On Suicide Watch
  • OMG, baby, you’re a fire! Werk: Katy Perry tweets out in support of a woman’s right to choose on the 4th of July
  • Harry Styles Canceled His Copenhagen Show After A Shooting At A Mall Close To The Venue
  • Texas AG Wants To Re-Ban Gay Sex + Crimo Got His Gun Legally + Dem State Senator Twerks For Votes + Bette vs. Trans-Inclusive Language + MORE! — 12-PACK
  • WATCH: Brittney Griner’s wife calls for White House to do more to free WNBA star held in Russia
  • Billie Jean King, Roger Federer and other Wimbledon legends celebrate 100th anniversary of Centre Court
  • Elle Macpherson Brings Son Flynn Busson, 24, to Dior Fashion Show in Paris (Photos)

Most Recent

  • Newsom’s attack ad on DeSantis could be 2024 presidential preview

    Newsom’s attack ad on DeSantis could be 2024 presidential preview

  • Friends co-creator Marta Kauffman admits pronouns ‘mistake’

    Friends co-creator Marta Kauffman admits pronouns ‘mistake’

  • In Chicago, killings of transgender women of color often go unsolved. ‘There’s no justice,’ relatives say

    In Chicago, killings of transgender women of color often go unsolved. ‘There’s no justice,’ relatives say

  • Savage Garden star Darren Hayes was in a ‘dark place’ before coming out as gay

    Savage Garden star Darren Hayes was in a ‘dark place’ before coming out as gay

  • Ohio city Akron imposes curfew after protests over police killing of Black man

    Ohio city Akron imposes curfew after protests over police killing of Black man

  • Elliot Page: ‘Never thought I would love a passport photo’

    Elliot Page: ‘Never thought I would love a passport photo’

  • Adele gifts VIP concert access to fan in exchange for Pride flag

    Adele gifts VIP concert access to fan in exchange for Pride flag

  • Lourdes Leon Top Social Media Thirst Trap Moments: Photos

    Lourdes Leon Top Social Media Thirst Trap Moments: Photos

Most Commented

Social

Twitter @tlrd | Facebook | Instagram @tlrd
  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
  • About Towleroad
  • Towleroad on Social Media
  • Privacy Policy
[towleroadmr] [towleroadtn]

Footer

Copyright © 2022 · Log in