Oregon Judge Gives Idaho Man 5 Yrs For Beating Of Transgender

An Idaho man will be serving multiple years behind bars after an Oregon judge sentenced him for a 2019 assault against a transgender person. Additional time was added to the sentence due to the fact Oregon has classified the actions of the attacker as a hate crime.

A judge in Oregon has handed down a five year prison sentence to a man who beat up a transgender person in August 2019 while visiting a Lincoln County park with his wife, according to details shared by KOIN news. Fred Costanza, 37, took issue with a transgender female by the name of Lauren Jackson using the park's ladies room, and reportedly struck her multiple times, resulting in a broken jaw and skull fracture.

Multiple witnesses saw the incident take place. Lincoln County officials charged Costanza with assault and harassment in January. Costanza reportedly entered the woman's restroom and began the assault. Second Degree Assault in Oregon carries a mandatory 70-month sentence.

The attack took place at Agate State Beach Park, in the city of Newport. Oregon recently updated a state hate crime law, to which additional jail time was tacked on to Costanza's sentence. A hate crime is an act of violence committed against another person due to race, religion or sexual preference.

No details were made public about whether or not any lawsuit against Costanza was filed by the victim. It's also not known what area of Idaho Costanza is from. Newport is located in northwestern Oregon, approximately 96 miles from Eugene.