BREMERTON, Washington. A Bremerton man is charged with a hate crime after allegedly assaulting a teenager because of his sexual orientation.

Investigators say Joseph Sweeney, 38, tied a noose around the teenager’s neck, asking him if he was gay.

Sweeney is now in custody at the Kitsap County Jail, being held on $50,000 bond and facing hate crime and assault charges. Sweeney’s son had a friend over on Oct. 21, and investigators say he assaulted both his son and his son’s friend.

Court records detail disturbing allegations that accuse Sweeney of tying and tightening a noose around the 14-year-old boy’s neck. Court documents state Sweeney allegedly asked the teen if he was gay, and the teen replied, “Yes, is it a crime to be gay in this house?”

But family members and witnesses who say they were home the night of the alleged attack believe the incident was largely a misunderstanding.

“It’s all lies because there was no hate crime, there was never a hate crime,” said Michelle Espinosa, Sweeney’s girlfriend. “No one showed any distress because of, you know, his silly humor that he was doing. To me, I don’t even think it was bad humor because it seemed innocent and playful like it could have come to any four adults in the house.”

Espinosa told KOMO News that there were four adults at home at the time, including herself, the mother of Sweeney’s children and her husband, and the children were all playing as they usually do.

“No pain, just heard everybody playing, laughing, having a good time,” said Ally Toliver, who is the mother of Sweeney’s children. “The rope thing, the boys played with it before Joe got involved, bad humor, it wasn’t a hate crime, he wasn’t hurting him or trying to hurt him.”

According to court documents, Sweeney also made inappropriate jokes, calling the victim “a princess” and recorded the two boys on his cell phone “telling them to kiss in a possible attempt to humiliate them.” Investigators also say Sweeney followed her son around the house and shoved him in the chest.

Investigators recovered the rope used in the alleged attack and a gun they say Sweeney was not supposed to have because of the domestic violence protection order issued last year. Court records state that Sweeney was arrested for domestic violence in Kansas City in 2023.

“A rope was involved in the game, but it wasn’t for threatening reasons,” said Thorne Toliver, who is the stepfather of Sweeney’s son and was there the night of the alleged attack. “There was no intention to harm him, especially because he is gay. That really doesn’t matter. Anyone who wants to be anything, I think they have a right these days and that’s not a problem for us or my family.”

Family members who say they were home that night believe the allegations were largely a misunderstanding and never noticed anything out of the ordinary, adding that the alleged victim had been to their home several times before.

“I trust that I trust this man in my own house,” said Thorne Toliver. “I trust him on my property and that’s why he’s here. If he was a threat to anyone, he wouldn’t be allowed here.”