Robert J. "Bob" Troester U.S. Attorney | U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Oklahoma
Braden Birdsong, 28, of Oklahoma City, pleaded guilty to a federal hate crime charge in U.S. District Court on September 17, 2025. The plea was entered before Judge Bernard M. Jones for the Western District of Oklahoma.
Court documents state that on August 25, 2023, Birdsong assaulted D.G., a Black man who was cleaning the parking lot at his workplace in Oklahoma City. During the attack, Birdsong used racial slurs and anti-Black language while striking D.G. in the head several times. D.G. sustained bodily injury as a result of the incident. In court, Birdsong admitted he targeted D.G. because of his race and color.
Birdsong could face up to ten years in prison and three years of supervised release for the hate crime violation. Judge Jones will determine sentencing after reviewing federal guidelines and other statutory factors at a future hearing. Birdsong remains in federal custody until sentencing.
Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division commented: “Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester for the Western District of Oklahoma, and Special Agent in Charge Douglas M. Goodwater of the FBI Oklahoma City Field Office made the announcement.”
The FBI’s Oklahoma City Field Office led the investigation into this case.
Prosecution is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Julia E. Barry for the Western District of Oklahoma along with Trial Attorneys Laura Gilson and Taylor Payne from the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section.
