Man sentenced to 11 years in kidnapping case

BENTONVILLE — A Springdale man was sentenced Thursday to 11 years in prison after a jury found him guilty of beating and kidnapping his then-girlfriend.

Austin Garrett, 19, was found guilty Wednesday of kidnapping, residential burglary, domestic battering, and terroristic threatening and criminal mischief. The panel found him not guilty of aggravated assault on a family or household member.

The panel returned with the verdicts Wednesday, but returned to court Thursday to complete their verdicts on the sentencing recommendations.

Jurors recommended Garrett spend 10 years in prison for the kidnapping; five for residential burglary; one year in jail for domestic battering; six years in prison for terroristic threatening and one year in prison for criminal mischief.

The jury recommended Garrett serve consecutive sentences for kidnapping and criminal mischief, a total of 11 years in prison. The remaining sentences will be served concurrently.

Benton County Circuit Judge Robin Green followed the jury’s recommendation and ordered Garrett to serve 11 years in the Arkansas Department of Corrections.

Garrett was arrested in October 2020.

Zoe Jones, 19, testified Tuesday she was in a relationship with Garrett. She told jurors Garrett made her drive and was punching her face as she drove. She testified she was scared for her life.

She said she pulled the vehicle over once and Garrett wouldn’t let her out of the car. She said Garrett started driving and he had her in a chokehold as he drove.

The two went to a lake in Springdale where Garrett continued to hit her and kicked her, she said.

“I was begging him to stop,” Jones said.

Jones said Garrett took her cellphone and she couldn’t call for help. She also told jurors Garrett sent her numerous threatening text messages with one stating, “If I can’t have you nobody can.” She said she thought Garrett would kill her if she broke up with him.

Garrett didn’t testify in his defense.

“That’s the face when someone says no to Austin Garrett,” Tim McDonald, deputy prosecutor, told jurors as he held a photograph of Jones’ battered and bruised face.

Peter Giardino, Garrett’s attorney, urged jurors to recommend leniency for his client. He told the panel Garrett will have to serve at least seven years in prison if sentenced to 10 years for the kidnapping and 14 years if sentenced to 20 years.

Garrett’s criminal issues aren’t over. He’s charged in Washington County with accomplice to terroristic act, accomplice to aggravated assault, engaging in violent group activity and failure to appear.

The arrest stems from a January 2021 shooting in Fayetteville.

Fayetteville police were called to a home on Bradstreet Lane on a report of shots being fired into the home, according to an affidavit for a warrant of arrest. Officers found Garrett in the street outside the home with gunshot wounds to his buttocks, according to the affidavit. Garrett was charged as an accomplice in the shooting.

Garrett will have to serve more than seven years in prison before he’s eligible for parole.

The judge ordered Garrett not to have any contact with Jones.

Garrett