Man Convicted for Assaulting Hook Up on Grindr
Ronald Silveria, of California, was convicted on multiple charges for tying up his naked victim, beating him, and demanding banking passwords.
A man has been convicted by a San Francisco jury for assaulting and robbing a man he lured to a motel using the gay hookup app Grindr.
Ronald Anthony Silveria, 27, of Fremont, California, was found guilty of first-degree robbery, false imprisonment by violence or menace, identity theft, misdemeanor assault, and false imprisonment.
He potentially faces up to 12 years in prison and will be sentenced on May 22, reports San Francisco CW affiliate KRON4.
San Francisco District Attorney Brooke Jenkins lauded the jury’s verdict.
“The jury’s verdict holds Mr. Silveria accountable for his despicable crimes,” Jenkins said. “My office will always stand with victims of crime and work to ensure there are consequences for criminal behavior.”
At trial, prosecutors presented evidence that Silveria had met and began conversing with his victim, whom they described as an “unsuspecting romantic partner,” through Grindr on September 15, 2022.
Silveria lured the victim to a motel room in San Francisco where the victim had rented a room. After hanging out in the room for a while, Silveria pulled out a gun and tied the victim, who was naked, to the bed.
He then went through the victim’s bags and electronics, hitting him repeatedly and demanding passwords for bank apps.
Silveria eventually agreed to released the victim if he withdrew $400 from an ATM and gave it to him. He allowed the victim to dress, forced the victim to wipe down the room, and drove to a nearby ATM.
After taking the $400, Silveria refused to return the victim’s car keys and belongings. He then drove across the Bay Bridge and abandoned the victim in Emeryville around 4:30 a.m. He drove off with all the victim’s belongings, including his phone, iPad, and wallet.
The victim eventually found his way to a restaurant, where a “good Samaritan” drove the man back to his home in San Francisco, at which point he called police.
Silveria was arrested two months later, on November 29, 2022, when a San Francisco police officer spotted him in Fremont. Investigators identified Silveria through surveillance footage from the motel and DNA evidence in the room and on the restraints.
“Mr. Silveria preyed on a man who was in a trusting, compromised, and vulnerable position,” San Francisco Assistant District Attorney Edward Mario, who prosecuted the case, said in a statement.
“I thank the victim for his bravery in testifying and re-living traumatic life events. This conviction ensures accountability for Mr. Silveria’s actions and provides a measure of justice for the victim.”
Support Metro Weekly’s Journalism
These are challenging times for news organizations. And yet it’s crucial we stay active and provide vital resources and information to both our local readers and the world. So won’t you please take a moment and consider supporting Metro Weekly with a membership? For as little as $5 a month, you can help ensure Metro Weekly magazine and MetroWeekly.com remain free, viable resources as we provide the best, most diverse, culturally-resonant LGBTQ coverage in both the D.C. region and around the world. Memberships come with exclusive perks and discounts, your own personal digital delivery of each week’s magazine (and an archive), access to our Member's Lounge when it launches this fall, and exclusive members-only items like Metro Weekly Membership Mugs and Tote Bags! Check out all our membership levels here and please join us today!
