Gay man claimed attackers carved gay slur into his arm, now admits it was all a HOAX

A gay man in Utah claimed that his home was firebombed, his family’s business was vandalized, and that he was attacked and had gay slurs carved into his arms — well he’s now admitting it was all one big hoax:

AP – A man who reported someone beat him and carved a homophobic slur into his arm staged the attacks, authorities in rural Utah said Tuesday.

Millard County Sheriff Robert Dekker said Rick Jones, 21, could face charges after officers investigating the series of reported attacks found inconsistencies in the evidence. The Delta man eventually acknowledged faking the harassment, Dekker said.

Brett Tolman, an attorney for Jones, said the reports were a cry for help initially directed toward people close to him, and Jones didn’t realize how much attention they would get.

“I think it’s such good evidence of the difficulties members of the gay community deal with, and some make better choices than others,” Tolman said.

Jones has since begun mental health treatment, the lawyer said.

The purported attacks began with a beating at his family’s pizza business in April that left Jones with head and facial bruising.

Five days later, the family’s home was found spray-painted with a homophobic slur. On June 10, a rock and a molotov cocktail were thrown through the window of the home. That same day, the business was spray-painted, broken into and robbed of $1,000.

Jones told KSL-TV earlier this month he believed he was targeted because he is gay.

Dekker said prosecutors are considering possible charges including filing a false report and reckless burning.

Prosecutors should throw the book at this dude; I don’t care what he’s claiming about his mental status. Let all that be worked out in the courts.


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