Posted on 04/20/2019 6:49:48 PM PDT by Candor7
LAS CRUCES, N.M. - A New Mexico man belonging to an armed group that has detained Central American families near the U.S.-Mexico border was arrested Saturday in a border community on a criminal complaint accusing him of being a felon in possession of firearms and ammunition, authorities said.
The FBI said in a statement it arrested 69-year-old Larry Mitchell Hopkins in Sunland Park with the assistance of local police. New Mexico Attorney General Hector Balderas said in a separate statement that Hopkins was a member of the group that had stopped migrants.
Hopkins was booked into the Dona Ana County detention centre in Las Cruces and it wasn’t immediately known whether he has an attorney who could comment on the allegations.
The FBI statement did not provide information on Hopkins’ background, and FBI spokesman Frank Fisher told The Associated Press that no additional information would be released until after Hopkins has an initial appearance Monday in federal court in Las Cruces.
The FBI said Hopkins is from Flora Vista, a rural community in northern New Mexico and approximately 353 miles (572 kilometres) north of Sunland Park, which is a suburb of El Paso, Texas.
The Sunland Park Police Department on Saturday referred an AP reporter to the FBI.
Balderas said in a statement that Hopkins “is a dangerous felon who should not have weapons around children and families. Today’s arrest by the FBI indicates clearly that the rule of law should be in the hands of trained law enforcement officials, not armed vigilantes.”
Federal authorities on Friday warned private groups to avoid policing the border after a string of videos on social media showed armed civilians detaining large groups of Central American families in New Mexico.
The videos posted earlier in the week show members of United constitutional Patriots ordering family groups as small as seven and as large as several hundred to sit on the dirt with their children, some toddlers, waiting until Border Patrol agents arrive.
Customs and Border Protection said on its Twitter account that it “does not endorse or condone private groups or organizations that take enforcement matters into their own hands. Interference by civilians in law enforcement matters could have public safety and legal consequences for all parties involved.”
Jim Benvie, a spokesman for United Constitutional Patriots, did not immediately respond Saturday to a request for comment made via Facebook.
Benvie said in a video that the group’s members were assisting a “stressed and overstrained Border Patrol” and said the group is legally armed for self-defence and never points guns at migrants. The posted videos do not show them with firearms drawn.
Armed civilian groups have been a fixture on the border for years, especially when large numbers of migrants come. But, unlike previous times, many of the migrants crossing now are children.
In the Border Patrol’s El Paso sector, which has emerged as the second-busiest corridor for illegal crossings after Texas’ Rio Grande Valley, 86% of arrests in March were people who came as families or unaccompanied children.
I would replace them with a single reconstituted FBI with no former FBI employees need apply. None. I know that there are many good honest ones but the point has to be made that the organization is hopelessly corrupt and no chance will be taken to transfer some of the old corruption to the new agency.
Thank you, oh proofreader. I used too many tos. One is fine, but two tos is too many! My sincere apologies.
WF Buckley once did a short essay about Martin Luther King and Bishop Desmond Tutu, The two were analagous in their societies and MLK received two Nobel Peace prizes and the Bishop only one. WFB thought they should have given two to Tutu too.
There is an ad I listen to, or anymore, switch off four times an hour when I am listening to talk radio at work in the night time. At one point the Garage Door Doctor says “..in our environment in which we live in. Do you suppose he could rewrite that a bit more compactly?
“Balderas said in a statement that Hopkins “is a dangerous felon who should not have weapons around children and families.”
Dollars to donuts he was a military Vet that got busted for a small amount of dope at some time after his service.
New Mexico is now shaping up rural vs city like other states, and conservatives are speaking out. Our new governor is mentored by Pelosi, funded by Soros and trying to make us like CA overnight. There is a backlash though so we shall see. NM is actually pretty volatile right now, nothing that happens here will surprise me...nothing.
Our new governor and her stooges came right out swinging against oil & gas...mining, firearms, freedom, life...like pouring gas all over the state. Socialists are the ones with the matches right now so we shall see.
Here’s this:
U.S. Soldiers Are Disarmed, Held At Gunpoint By Mexican Troops In Texas
http://freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3743504/posts
meanwhile in Texas:
U.S. Soldiers Are Disarmed, Held At Gunpoint By Mexican Troops In Texas 4-20-2019
http://freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3743504/posts
“The videos posted earlier in the week show members of United constitutional Patriots ordering family groups as small as seven and as large as several hundred to sit on the dirt with their children, some toddlers, waiting until Border Patrol agents arrive.”
In other words, helping Border Patrol, NOT “taking the law into their own hands.”
I hope their arraignment becomes a media circus, and the accused or his lawyer makes a stirring speech in support of the militia movement, which then catches on like wildfire.
I love how they use the term “vigilante” - like the folks are stringing them up in the trees.
“Vigilante!? Why no Mr. FBI man - I’m just concerned about all these poor folks out here in the desert. When we see them we give them a bottle of water, a granola bar, and then call the BP so they can be given a ride and treated lawfully.”
I didn’t see them handing out water - but I think that would be nice. An old friend lives down in Tucson and explores. He always has a bunch of water and food in case he breaks down. If he sees illegals he gives them water. Then when he gets to cell-phone range calls in their GPS position.
“The FBI said in a statement it arrested 69-year-old Larry Mitchell Hopkins in Sunland Park with the assistance of local police. New Mexico Attorney General Hector Balderas said in a separate statement that Hopkins was a member of the group that had stopped migrants. “
“Balderas said in a statement that Hopkins “is a dangerous felon who should not have weapons around children and families. Today’s arrest by the FBI indicates clearly that the rule of law should be in the hands of trained law enforcement officials, not armed vigilantes.”
Banderas, State AG, does all the talking. The FBI has the collar. Neat arrangement.
I love how they use the term “vigilante” - like the folks are stringing them up in the trees.
Trump should use his social network skills to authorize and organize a national militia. By the book.
If any dannot legally carry then put them in other areas such as intel, maintenance, logistics etc.
The left really, really does NOT wanted a militia, 8t would go against their doctrine.
All the right reasons to have them.
Atheists criticize ALL belief in God as Creator. Young or old Earth no matter to them.
Atheists aren’t the only ones who roll their eyes at YEC.
Heh.
Who cares about YEC, either God created the universe or He didn’t. That is the bigger question.
WHY would you punish the GOOD & HONORABLE agents, as IF they were GUILTY of being corrupt??
Just asking, TMN78247
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