SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — A federal grand jury has indicted on a weapons charge the leader of an armed group that has been detaining asylum-seeking families from Central America near the Mexican border, the U.S. Attorney's Office announced Friday.
1 / 2This April 20, 2019 booking photo from the Dona Ana County Sheriff's Office shows Larry Hopkins. Authorities say that Hopkins, 69, the leader of a group that has detained asylum-speaking migrants along the U.S.-Mexico border, was injured while he was jailed in Las Cruces, N.M., after being arrested on federal weapons charges.
The indictment cites previous criminal convictions against the 69-year-old resident of Flora Vista for impersonation of a police officer and repeated firearms violations. Hopkins is scheduled for an arraignment Monday. Defense attorney Kelly O'Connell said Friday that Hopkins intends to dispute the charge from the grand jury.
The FBI has declined to comment on why it waited to bring charges against Hopkins following a search at his home in 2017. His arrest follows widespread criticism after videos surfaced of their members carrying firearms and detaining groups of immigrants crossing the border.
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