Man may be civilly committed in trial

State attorneys are seeking to lock up a local man they say is a violent sexual predator who is likely to reoffend if released.

Matthew Hopkins, 32, has completed his prison term after committing multiple sex offenses against children dating back to 2001.

Next week, Hopkins is standing trial in Clark County Superior Court to see if he should be involuntarily committed to the state’s Special Commitment Center on McNeil Island in Puget Sound near Tacoma.

The trial is expected to continue for two and a half weeks, according to a news release from the state attorney general, which is pursuing the civil commitment order. Hopkins was convicted in Skamania County, but his trial was moved to Clark County due to limited court capacity.

If the court rules against Hopkins, he can be held at the center indefinitely.

Hopkins has been held at the center awaiting trial since November 2013, which was his prison release date.

As of September, the commitment center held 227 sexually violent predators, according to the attorney general.