Kalamazoo Man Sentenced 12-50 Years for 2005 Sexual Assault

Shawn Darnell Robinson Hopkins, 39, has been sentenced to 12-50 years in prison for the 2005 sexual assault of a 14-year-old girl in Kalamazoo, Michigan. The victim reported the assault immediately, but it wasn't until DNA evidence identified Hopkins in 2022 that he was charged. Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel expressed hope that the sentence would bring a sense of justice to the victim, commending her courage in seeking accountability. During the sentencing, the survivor stated that the attack stole her childhood and altered her adult life, expressing a desire for a normal childhood. This conviction marks the 22nd case resolved by the Kalamazoo Sexual Assault Kit Initiative, which investigates cold cases linked to previously untested sexual assault evidence. Prosecutors emphasized the importance of this case as part of their ongoing efforts to achieve justice for survivors of sexual assault.