Convict Files to Run for Hopkins Mayor

UPDATED 11 a.m. Aug. 12: Bostic confirmed to Patch that was his criminal history, adding that he wants to be transparent and upfront about it. He said he is running to encourage other people to get involved in their community and make their community a better place.

"The whole reason I stepped up into this position is so I can motivate other individuals so they can not be scared to get involved," he said.

Patch will have a full profile of Bostic at the end of the week.

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A man with a pair of gun-related convictions, an upcoming probation violation hearing and two drunken driving convictions—including one last year—filed to run for mayor in this year’s election, according to records from the Secretary of State’s Office and the Minnesota Judicial Branch.

A Hopkins man by the name of Anthony Ray Bostic submitted his paperwork to run for mayor Friday. A 32-year-old Hopkins man with the same first, middle and last name also appears with four convictions in the judiciary’s online database. Hennepin County Probation confirmed that both men have the same address.

Bostic is able to run because state law and the state Constitution only bar felons from running for office.

Bostic did not answer phone calls at the number listed on the Secretary of State’s website, and his voicemail was full. He did not respond to a request for an interview sent to the e-mail address he listed on his election paperwork.

Court records show that Bostic was sentenced for driving while impaired on March 1, 2007, and again on Oct. 22, 2012. He was also convicted of carrying a rifle, BB gun or shotgun in public on June 3, 2003, and again on June 15, 2006.

For each pair of offenses, the initial offense was a misdemeanor and the second was gross misdemeanor.

For all the offenses, he was sentenced to the Hennepin County Workhouse and/or sentenced to service in lieu of time. On the second gun-carrying charge, he also had to forfeit his BB gun.

Court records show he had multiple probation violation hearings, including one as recently as Aug. 5. He also has a probation violation hearing scheduled for Tuesday.