Great Bend Police arrested a local man Tuesday following a tip regarding alleged child sex crimes.

At approximately 1 p.m. Tuesday, officers of the Great Bend Police Department were contacted by the advocacy group MotorCity Justice in reference to information regarding a Great Bend man who was soliciting sex from a 15-year-old girl. 

After 5 p.m., the man, identified as 54-year old Tommy R. Hopkins, communicated through an online chat he was planning to meet the child at a store in Great Bend. GBPD members staged in the area until the man arrived at the store and went inside to meet her. 

Officers then located Hopkins inside and escorted him to a secure office near the front of the store, where he was placed under arrest on charges of sexual exploitation of a child, indecent solicitation of a child and electronic solicitation. Hopkins was transported to the Barton County Detention Center and booked in lieu of a $1,000,000 bond.  

GBPD then executed a search warrant at Hopkins’ Great Bend residence at approximately 8 p.m. Tuesday. After a thorough search of the residence, additional electronic evidence was seized in connection with this case. 

The GBPD also located a minor child of Hopkins who was staying with family at the time of this incident. The child was removed from his custody and taken as a child in need of care and released to Juvenile Services. 

The investigation is ongoing. Anyone with any information in reference to this case, or any other crime, is urged to contact the GBPD at 620-793-4120 or Crime Stoppers at 620-792-1300.