Former Va. cop arrested
after 90-minute standoff
Bobby CoPenny Jr. was under investigation because of an alleged
abduction of an 18-year-old female in January
DINWIDDIE, Va. — A former Hopewell police officer was arrested
yesterday following a nearly 90-minute standoff with Virginia State Police.
At 11 a.m., special agents with the Virginia State Police Bureau of
Criminal Investigation, Richmond Field Office, attempted to serve an indictment
on Bobby CoPenny Jr., 41, in the 5000 block of Moody Drive in Dinwiddie County.
CoPenny was under investigation because of an alleged abduction of an
18-year-old female in the 1500 block of Piper Square Drive on Jan. 13.
When State Troopers pulled up in front of his residence, CoPenny
barricaded himself inside and refused to come out. The Division One Tactical
Team was called to assist.
After negotiating with State Police, CoPenny eventually surrendered peacefully
and was arrested without incident. He was taken to the Dinwiddie County Jail
for further processing and was held without bond pending his arraignment June
27 in Hopewell Circuit Court.
CoPenny has been employed with the Hopewell Police Department as a
uniformed officer since 2003. He is still listed on the City of Hopewell
website as the resource officer at Hopewell High School.
Hopewell Police Chief John Keohane confirmed this yesterday, but did
not want to say yesterday if the victim was a student at the school, citing the
ongoing investigation by State Police.
But Keohane said that CoPenny was removed from his school duties
immediately and put on paid administrative leave when the incident was first
reported on Jan. 17, three days after it occurred.
"The Hopewell Police Department immediately responded and
conducted a preliminary administrative investigation when informed of this
allegation," Keohane said. "This is a very serious crime and will not
be tolerated in our department as such actions degrade the public's trust of
its officers who are sworn to serve and protect."
Hopewell police then requested Virginia State Police to investigate the
alleged abduction. CoPenny was suspended without pay on Jan. 26 and terminated
from employment on Feb. 3, based upon several department policy violations
regarding this incident.
CoPenny was indicted on one felony count of abduction with the intent
to defile by the grand jury on June 12.
This is the second incident of a former Hopewell police officer involving
criminal charges this month. Last week, Mark D. Baggett, 34, of Colonial
Heights, pleaded guilty to three counts of aggravated sexual battery involving
three women he had been investigating last year. He had been with the
department since 2008.