Sean C. Morgan
Of The New Era
Linn County deputies arrested Don Hopkins, 69, at his home on Oct. 1 charging him with first-degree sodomy.
A 24-year-old man accused Hopkins of the crime on Sept. 30 after spending the night at Hopkins’ ranch on McQueen Drive.
Following a police investigation, Hopkins was arrested at 3 p.m. on Sunday. He was released after posting $5,000 security.
Hopkins had been a member and former chairman of the District 55 School Board before he resigned from the board Monday. He was also chair of the Linn-Benton-Lincoln Education Service District before he resigned that position Wednesday. He also is president of the Sweet Home Fire and Ambulance District Board and serves and has served on numerous local and countywide committees.
Hopkins has declined to discuss the incident when contacted by The New Era.
Linn County Sheriff’s Sgt. Mike Harmon, quoting a report by investigators, said “the victim met Mr. Hopkins about three months ago in Corvallis.”
The victim is a real estate agent, and told police that a couple of weeks ago, Hopkins contacted him and told him about a property he wanted to list with the victim, according to the report.
They met to look at the property, and “Mr. Hopkins wanted the victim to go hunting with him over the weekend,” Harmon read from the report. “The victim had a bad sense about it and came up with a reason not to go.”
The two set a meeting for Sept. 29 on Hopkins’ Santiam Terrace property, the report said, and afterward, Hopkins treated the victim to a game of golf. They played a game and had a few drinks before ending up at Hopkins’ ranch.
There, they toured the property, the report said, and had more drinks. They got dinner and returned to ranch where they had additional drinks. Hopkins allegedly invited the victim to stay the night, and the victim did.
“The victim remembered waking up about 6 in the morning,” Harmon read from the report. “At some point, the victim started having flashbacks about what occurred the previous night; and the victim recalled the sodomy going on with Mr. Hopkins.”
They parted company, and the victim reported the incident to Linn County Sheriff’s Office on Saturday.
The incident remains under investigation, Harmon said.