Youth lockup employee arrested in boy's sexual assault

A guard at the White River Juvenile Detention Center in Batesville has been arrested on charges that he sexually assaulted a 17-year-old boy in the lockup's employee bathroom, Independence County officials confirmed Tuesday.

Bradley Kyle Hopper, 27, of Batesville was arrested Friday on two charges of first-degree sexual assault and two charges of second-degree sexual assault after the boy told the lockup's administrator that Hopper had removed him from his cell on two separate occasions to have sex.

According to an arrest affidavit, the boy said the encounters occurred during the evening hours of June 16 and June 20 while the boy was housed in the maximum security portion of the youth lockup.

The guard's arrest comes as the FBI continues to investigate potential civil rights violations at the lockup related to the treatment of youths. The lockup has also been under increased scrutiny from the state Division of Youth Services after the division pulled its youth from the lockup in January over concerns that guards were using restraints and 23-hour lockdown as punishment.

Read Wednesday's Arkansas Democrat-Gazette for full details.

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