Oswego Resident Heading to Prison After Beating Gay Man

Updated at 3:30 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 8 

An Oswego man was sentenced Monday to two years in prison for the , according to Kendall County State’s Attorney Eric Weis.

Marquitte West, 18, of the 400 block of Bluegrass Parkway in Oswego, was charged with one count of mob action and two counts of hate crime for his part in the June 24 beating of the man near West’s home. West pleaded guilty to one count of hate crime and another count of theft, relating to a stolen laptop in his possession from June 10, Weis said.

West allegedly knew Bryce Stiff, 29, was gay because the victim was friends with West's brother.

“I used to be a happy, caring and loving person who would do anything to help anyone,” Stiff wrote in a victim impact statement read in Kendall County court Monday, according to the Chicago Sun-Times.

“I was happy about me being gay … but now I’m filled with so much bitterness, hatred and I’m very depressed. I don’t like leaving my home. I don’t like doing things that excite me anymore. I feel like everyone is out to get me.”

Stiff was brutally beaten and kicked by the men, according to CBS Chciago. He was left with nerve damage in his face and needed reconstructive surgery on his lip. He also suffered severe emotional distress from the incident. Stiff said West was the "ringleader" in the beating, and offered the other men $20 to attack the openly gay man.

“To the best of my recollection, this is the first hate crime we’ve prosecuted based on sexual orientation,” Weis said.

At the time of the incident, Stiff was treated at the scene by  personnel and refused to be taken to the hospital.

Clarification: The spelling of West's first name has been updated as to how it appears on his drivers license. Oswego Police originally reported a different spelling.

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