PBPD officer charged with sex trafficking of a child; serves as SRO at Poplar Bluff school

A warrant was issued Thursday afternoon for a Poplar Bluff police officer who is accused of sexual trafficking of a child and multiple child pornography offenses.

Brandon Michael Hopper was arrested Wednesday by the Missouri State Highway Patrol, on suspicion of the crimes.

The 39-year-old was charged with the unclassified felony of first-degree sexual trafficking of a child, the Class B felony of first-degree promoting child pornography and two Class D felonies of possession of child pornography by Butler County Prosecuting Attorney Kacey Proctor.

A 10-year veteran of the police department, Hopper was in his first year as the school resource officer for the Poplar Bluff Middle School. The SRO is a contracted position with the school district.

“We have been advised that charges have been filed against a law enforcement officer employed by the Poplar Bluff Police Department, who was recently assigned in our school system,” said Poplar Bluff R-1 Superintendent Scott Dill. “We are cooperating fully with state law enforcement agencies as they conduct their investigation into this matter.”

As a district, Dill said, school officials “remain committed to the safety of every student entrusted to our care.

“If you have any information about this incident, I urge you to contact the Missouri State Highway Patrol.”

A statement is expected to be released by the Poplar Bluff Police Department later today.

More information about this situation will be updated this afternoon by the Daily American Republic.