Former Atlanta Police Officer Accused of Trying To Entice A Child In Augusta

Former Atlanta police officer and Augusta native Benjamin Hopson was taken into custody in Augusta over the weekend, accused of trying to entice a child for indecent purposes earlier this year.

The Richmond County Sheriff's Office began an investigation after the mother of a 14-year-old boy told her he was offered money to perform a sex act on Hopson.

The teen said he was walking down Stevens Creek Road in June when Hopson approached him in a car. The teen said Hopson asked him if he could use $200. When the victim said yes, Hopson reportedly told the teen he would pay him $200 to perform oral sex, according to the arrest affidavit.

The victim said he ran from Hopson, went home and reported the incident to his mother.

Local authorities were recently able to track Hopson down on Saturday. He was taken into custody and is being held without bond on a charge of Enticing a Child for Indecent Purposes.

Hopson was employed by the Atlanta Police Department starting in 2018.

"Hopson was originally relieved from duty and placed in a non-enforcement, administrative assignment in May, 2023" according to a statement from Atlanta Police. It's not known why Hopson's assignment changed at that time.

"More recently, Hopson had been on extended, unpaid leave before being terminated from the department on August 23, 2024," according to the statement from the Atlanta Police Department.