PERINTON, N.Y. — A Monroe County judge on Friday imposed the maximum sentence of 25 years in prison on Derrick Van Epps, who was convicted in June of attempted murder and assault as hate crimes for the June 23, 2025, knife attack on hiker Dylan Ghaemi on the Indian Hill Trail.
Jury found attack motivated by racial bias
Van Epps, of Palmyra, was convicted by a jury after testimony and evidence that prosecutors said proved the attack was driven by racial animus. Authorities say Van Epps stabbed Ghaemi, a Fairport resident and a first-generation American whose parents are from Iran, multiple times with a hunting knife.
During a recorded interview presented in court, Van Epps told an investigator he "doesn’t like people who aren’t white" and said, "I should have kept hitting him."
Prosecutors argued the recorded statements reflected a racial motive for the attack. As part of Friday’s sentencing the court also issued an order of protection for Ghaemi.
Victim’s injuries and impact
Ghaemi’s mother, Sunny Ghaemi, said her son’s hands required 88 stitches and that some of his fingers "are never going to be healed." The family has spoken publicly about the lasting physical and emotional effects of the attack.
- Incident: June 23, 2025, Indian Hill Trail, Perinton, N.Y.
- Defendant: Derrick Van Epps, of Palmyra
- Convictions: Attempted murder and assault charged as hate crimes
- Sentence: 25 years in prison (maximum)
Prosecutors and defense at sentencing
Monroe County District Attorney Brian Green issued a statement saying the sentence sends a clear message that hate crimes will not be tolerated and that those who commit such offenses will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. Van Epps declined to speak at his sentencing hearing; his attorneys also declined to comment after the proceeding.
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| June 23, 2025 | Stabbing of Dylan Ghaemi on Indian Hill Trail |
| June 2026 | Jury convicts Van Epps of attempted murder and assault as hate crimes |
| July 10, 2026 | Sentenced to 25 years in prison; order of protection issued |
The case had drawn attention both locally and beyond because of its characterization as a hate crime and the severity of Ghaemi’s injuries. Prosecutors emphasized the racial motivation at trial; defense arguments and details presented by the defense during trial were not detailed in the available report.
The sentencing concludes the trial phase of the case but is likely to leave a lasting imprint on the victim and community, as well as on law enforcement and prosecutorial approaches to investigating and trying bias-driven attacks.
