December 10, 2021
Elisabeth Shepard, Communications Director
Elisabeth.Shepard@mcda.us
DA Mike Schmidt announces 10 year sentence for self-proclaimed “Patriot” Alan Swinney
PORTLAND, Ore. – Today, Multnomah County District Attorney Mike Schmidt announced that Judge Heidi Moawad sentenced self-proclaimed “Patriot” and former Proud Boy Alan Swinney, age 51, to 10 (120 months) in prison with three years (36 months) post prison supervision.
In October of this year, following a six-day trial, a 12-person jury found Swinney guilty on eleven criminal charges. The charges were Assault in the Second Degree, Assault in the Fourth Degree, Attempted Assault in the Second Degree, Attempted Assault in the Fourth Degree, two counts of Unlawful Use of Mace in the Second Degree, Unlawful Use of a Weapon with a Firearm, two counts of Unlawful Use of a Weapon (paintball gun), and Pointing a Firearm at Another. These crimes all occurred on two days in August of 2020.
The prosecution, led by Senior Deputy District Attorney Nathan Vasquez and Deputy District Attorney Reid Schweitzer presented evidence that Swinney used social media channels to amplify his white nationalist beliefs as well as threaten, and incite politically motivated violence. The prosecution proved that these beliefs motivated him to commit the charged crimes and assault multiple victims.
Swinney caused a serious eye injury by shooting a man in the face with a paintball gun, discharged bear mace on multiple occasions to include spraying people directly in the face. Additionally, he aimed a loaded Ruger .357 magnum at a crowd of people and shot multiple people with paintballs during two separate violent politically motivated conflicts.
At sentencing, Senior Deputy District Attorney Vasquez spoke to the violence Swinney, a resident of Texas, inflicted on members of the community calling him a “White nationalist vigilante cow-boy” who traveled to Oregon for the specific purpose of engaging in political violence. DA Schmidt appreciates the service of the jury and would like to recognize the courage of the victims who testified at trial. See Swinney Memorandum below for additional information regarding the District Attorney’s sentencing recommendation.
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