By MARY SELL, Alabama Daily News
Perry Hooper Jr., a former state representative and current GOP leader, has been indicted by a Montgomery County grand jury on one count of first degree sexual abuse.
According to the Nov. 18 indictment, Hooper subjected a victim to “sexual contact by forcible compulsion.”
Alabama Daily News does not identify victims of alleged sexual assault. According to the indictment, the alleged victim was a witness before the grand jury.
Hooper’s next court date, according to records, is Dec. 21. The case has been assigned to Circuit Judge J.R. Gaines. Hooper’s attorney is Joseph Espy, according to court records.
Hooper was arrested in August after an alleged incident at a downtown Montgomery restaurant. According to police records, Hooper was leaving Ravello Ristorante on Aug. 16 when he approached the woman behind the host stand.
“The suspect grabbed the victim’s breasts and waist while shoving his pelvis against the victim’s backside,” an affidavit filed in Montgomery County District Court says. “He then began kissing her neck before she was able to break free.”
He was arrested on Aug. 24 and released from jail on a $15,000 bond.
Hooper represented a Montgomery district in the Alabama Legislature for nearly 20 years until 2003 and is still involved in Republican politics as a member of the state party’s executive committee.
In 2016, he was active in promoting Donald Trump’s presidential campaign in Alabama.
According to Alabama code, sexual abuse in the first degree includes sexual contact by forcible compulsion and/or sexual contact with someone who is incapable of consent by reason of being incapacitated. It is a Class C felony punishable by one to 10 years in prison and fines up to $15,000.
The indictment was first reported Monday by WSFA. A call to Espy’s office was not immediately returned on Tuesday.