Who is Eleanor Hunton Hoppe? Charges against prominent socialite explored 

Eleanor Hunton Hoppe, a prominent Virginia socialite, was arrested last month for allegedly distributing child p*rnography and volunteering to abuse a young girl via online chats with an undercover agent.

Trigger warning: This article contains details of child abuse. Readers' discretion is advised.

Eleanor Hunton Hoppe, daughter of a prominent attorney, Eppa Hunton V, was taken into custody on March 20. Hoppe's father's name is part of the second-largest law firm in the state known as Hunton, Andrews, Kurth. The firm was formerly known as Hunton and Williams when it was led by Hoppe's grandfather, Eppa Hunton IV.

Shortly after her arrest, Hoppe was charged with three federal crimes: distribution of child p*rnography, enticement of a minor, and attempted transportation of a minor with an attempt to engage in s*xual activity.

Hoppe, who moved around prestigious circles in the community due to her upbringing, pleaded not guilty to the charges leveled against her on Tuesday, April 18.

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Eleanor Hunton Hoppe was married to a Judge in Virginia

Eleanor Hunton Hoppe, 45, grew up in a prominent legal family in Charlottesville. She went on to marry a magistrate judge in the Western District of Virginia, Joel Hoppe and had two children with him. The duo then got divorced in 2021.

Prior to her arrest on child abuse charges, the former couple had reportedly shared equal custody of their children since their split. However, since reports of child abuse surfaced, the New York Post reported that Hoppe’s ex-husband has filed for sole custody of their two children.

Hoppe, who has volunteered with child advocacy organizations in the past, was the target of an undercover sting operation. She was busted after she agreed to meet an agent alongside his fictitious daughter, whom she planned to abuse at a hotel in Warrenton, Virginia.

The agent reportedly encountered Hoppe on a fetish website where she wanted to have a discourse on "Taboo parenting" in February 2023, as per the New York Post. Shortly after, the conversation allegedly took a dark turn when Hoppe sent the agent a topless photograph of herself and subsequently shared a disturbing video of an adult male abusing a child.

Hoppe then allegedly agreed to meet the agent’s fictitious daughter and participate in violating the young girl, who was described to her as an eight-year-old. The Daily Progress reported on one of the text exchanges where Hoppe, in terrifying detail, described ways in which to abuse an innocent child. She wrote:

“A great thing to do is to wake her up by trying new things. That hazy/ dreamlike state is perfect to introduce a variety of new things … especially with someone to help with positioning her body and then you let her fall right back to sleep.”

On March 16, Eleanor Hunton Hoppe reportedly sent multiple explicit texts, which included images of adult males abusing children, alongside a picture of a pink robe before showing up at the hotel to meet the young girl.

FBI special agent Emily Ekert said that Hoppe was placed under arrest as soon as he showed up at the hotel. Eleanor Hunton Hoppe is currently being held in D.C. jail after pleading not guilty to the charges against her.