PINE BLUFF - A Pine Bluff police officer was charged with rape Tuesday, a prosecuting attorney said.
The Pine Bluff Police Department identified the officer, who is on paid administrative leave, as Maurice Hopkins. His age was not immediately available.
Prosecuting Attorney Kyle Hunter said the felony charge is punishable by 10 to 40 years or life in prison upon a conviction.
Hopkins was being processed at the Jefferson County jail Tuesday afternoon and will be jailed separately from other inmates, said an officer who answered the jail phone and refused to provide her name.
Bail was set at $100,000, Hunter said. The prosecutor did not know yet when Hopkins’ first court appearance would be. Conditions of release also require that Hopkins have no contact with his accuser, according to a police news release.
Hunter said that to his knowledge, Hopkins, whose phone number is not listed in Pine Bluff directory assistance, does not have an attorney yet.
Hopkins has been a Pine Bluff officer for two years and nine months, the release said.
The Police Department said the then-unidentified officer was put on paid leave after a woman reported she was sexually assaulted Sunday.
The department said Tuesday that it will not release any further information until its internal investigation is complete.
Arkansas, Pages 12 on 02/26/2014