Trial set for woman accused of giving guns to Hesston shooter

A federal judge has set a May trial date for the woman accused of giving her former boyfriend the guns used in last month’s mass shooting at Excel Industries in Hesston.

U.S. District Judge Eric Melgren issued a scheduling order Thursday in the case of 28-year-old Sarah Jo Hopkins, setting May 3 for her trial. The Newton woman has pleaded not guilty to transferring weapons to a prohibited person.

Prosecutors say she gave Cedric Ford, a convicted felon, an AK-47-type semi-automatic rifle and a .40-caliber handgun that he used in the Feb. 25 attack at Excel. Four people, including Ford, were killed and 14 others were injured.

Hopkins has told investigators that she gave him the guns because he had threatened her. They had two children together.

This story was originally published March 17, 2016 at 11:13 AM with the headline "Trial set for woman accused of giving guns to Hesston shooter."