Border Militia Leader Could Spend Decade in Prison for Firearms After Three Felony Convictions

The leader of a border militia group could face up to 10 years in prison if he is convicted on the charge of being a felon in possession of a firearm. FBI agents arrested the man who has at least three previous felony convictions over the weekend, according to a criminal complaint filed in a New Mexico federal court.

FBI agents, with the assistance of the Sunland Park Police Department, arrested Larry Mitchell Hopkins on April 20 on a charge that he unlawfully had nine firearms and ammunition in his possession in his residence in San Juan County, New Mexico, in November 2019. According to a criminal complaint, Hopkins is prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition because of at least three previous felony convictions.

Those felony convictions include impersonating a police officer and unlawful possession of a firearm by a previously convicted felon in Oregon in 2006. His record also includes a 1996 conviction in Michigan for the unlawful possession of a loaded firearm.

Prosecutors with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Mexico stated in a press release that if Hopkins is convicted on the new firearms violation, he could spend up to 10 years in federal prison.

In October 2017, FBI agents received information on a public access line about alleged “militia extremist activity” in Flora Vista, New Mexico, the criminal complaint states. The document states the tip was related to a group called the United Constitutional Patriots and their “so-called ‘commander'” Larry Hopkins, a.k.a. Johnny Horton, Jr.

The complaint continues stating that “witnesses reported seeing members of the United Constitutional Patriots bearing firearms at Hopkin’s residence.” The complaint adds that “Hopkins also allegedly made the statement that the United Constitutional Patriots were training to assassinate George Soros, Hillary Clinton, and Barack Obama, because of these individuals support of Antifa.”

FBI agents traveled to the residence and made contact with Fay Sanders Murphy and Mr. Hopkins, the complaint explains. The couple walked the FBI Special Agents down a hallway to a room Hopkins allegedly referred to as “my office.” When the agents entered the room, they stated that they observed: “approximately 10 firearms leaning against the wall in a closet in plain view.” The agents explain in the complaint that the weapons were in plain view because the closet did not have any doors. The agents reportedly asked Hopkins if he owned the firearms and he replied that they belonged to Murphy, his common-law wife.

The agents seized nine firearms as evidence and various calibers of ammunition, the complaint states.

Assistant U.S. Attorney George C. Kraehe is leading the prosecution of the case, according to a written statement from the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Albuquerque. Prosecutors stated that Hopkins remains in custody pending a preliminary hearing and a detention hearing. Those hearings are scheduled for April 29.

Bob Price serves as associate editor and senior political news contributor for the Breitbart Border team. He is an original member of the Breitbart Texas team. Follow him on Twitter @BobPriceBBTX and Facebook.

Criminal Complaint – Larry Mitchell Hopkins