Jermaine “Huggy” Hopkins, one of the teenage stars who went toe-to-toe with Morgan Freeman‘s hard-nosed principal in the inspirational 1989 movie Lean on Me, has been busted for selling pot in Phoenix.
Here’s what went down.
According to local Fox affiliate KSAZ, Hopkins was swept up in a sting conducted by undercover detectives from the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office when he engaged them in a drug deal involving 200 pounds of marijuana he had in his SUV along with $100,000 cash.
Once the deal was complete, police subsequently pulled the 38-year-old thesp over in his vehicle and took him into custody.
Officer Christopher Hegstrom tells E! News Hopkins was booked into jail on two felony counts of possessing, transporting and trying to sell marijuana.
A subsequent search of his apartment in nearby Avondale also turned up another 100 pounds, its value was estimated at $50,000.
According to authorities, Hopkins actually lives in North Carolina but made Arizona his place of (illicit) business. Now it looks he may be a permanent resident as he remains holed up in the county jail in lieu of $35,000 bond.
The actor’s other film credits include 1993’s Juice as well as stints on the mid-’90s sitcoms The Wayans Brothers and Moesha and episodes of Murder One and Law & Order: SVU.
His rep could not be reached for comment, but if he’s convicted of the charges, Hopkins could face up to five years in prison.
Read more: http://www.eonline.com/news/mug_shot_of_day_lean_on_mes_jermaine/281255#ixzz1gpsFR9eS
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