A former conservative radio host who dubbed himself the "Crossover Negro" has pleaded not guilty in New York City to charges he raped his stepdaughter's former friend when she was 11 or 12 years old.
Reese Hopkins pleaded not guilty Wednesday at his arraignment on an indictment charging him with first-degree rape and endangering the welfare of a child. Hopkins is being held on $300,000 bail. His next court date is Jan. 14.
The charges say Hopkins sexually assaulted the girl between Sept. 1, 2004, and Oct. 31, 2004, at his Upper East Side Manhattan apartment, within weeks of her 11th or 12th birthday.
Hopkins lives in Malden, Mass. He was laid off last month from WRKO-AM in Boston, where he had hosted a conservative talk show since December. He worked in New York from 2000 to 2005 at Hot 97.1 FM.
