Former police officer allegedly offered 14-year-old boy from Augusta money for sexual acts

A former police officer was arrested Saturday on suspicion of approaching a 14-year-old boy on an Augusta street and offering him money for a sex act, authorities said.

Benjamin Hopson, 34, of Parrish Road, was charged with enticement of a child for indecent purposes and is being held without bail at the Charles B. Webster Detention Center.

Hopson is a former officer with the Atlanta Police Department, where he served for several years before returning to his hometown of Augusta. The reason is unclear.

The 14-year-old victim told authorities he was walking on Stevens Creek Road in June when a blue Dodge Challenger pulled up next to him. The suspect asked the boy to come to his car and asked if he needed money. The victim said he did, and the suspect then offered him $200 for oral sex.

The teen ran from the vehicle and told his mother the next day after staying at a friend's house, authorities said. When the victim returned to Westside High School in August, he was shocked to see that the suspect who had accosted him worked there as a hallway monitor. He informed his mother, which led to an investigation.

On Saturday morning, the sheriff's office issued a wanted poster for Hopson and he was arrested that afternoon. (Story continues below)

Authorities said Hopson was reportedly on leave from the Atlanta Police Department and was working for the school district through Global Staffing, a temporary employment agency.

Hopson's career with the Atlanta Police Department was recognized by the agency with several YouTube videos in which he was described as a “professional, energetic and compassionate officer.”

The caption of one video states that Hopson “gave up a career in the medical field to pursue his passion for policing in the city of Atlanta.”

In a video from three years ago, Hopson mentions growing up in a single-parent household in Augusta and entering the medical field. He wanted to advance his career and chose the field of law enforcement, specifically Atlanta, because of the agency's diversity and its programs for LGBTQ individuals.

“Police work is my calling,” he said.