Hot Springs man gets 20-year sentence in kidnapping case

HOT SPRINGS — The first of two suspects arrested last year in the kidnapping of two women was sentenced to 20 years in prison Wednesday after pleading guilty in Garland County Circuit Court.

Marcus Tre Bland III, 21, of Hot Springs, who has remained in custody in lieu of $500,000 bond since his arrest Dec. 4, 2017, was scheduled to go to trial Thursday, but instead pleaded guilty at a pretrial hearing Wednesday to two counts of kidnapping and to two counts of aggravated assault. He was sentenced to 20 years in prison on each count of kidnapping, and to six years on each count of aggravated assault, all to run concurrently.

An additional felony charge of theft by receiving of a firearm and a misdemeanor count of third-degree battery were withdrawn by prosecutors.

Judge Marcia Hearnsberger also issued a court order barring Bland from any contact with either of the victims and ordered him to pay $420 in court costs.

Bland had no previous convictions.

A suspected accomplice — Djuan Larell Goodman, 22, of Hot Springs, who was arrested the same day — remains in custody in lieu of $750,000 bond and is scheduled to stand trial on the same charges Feb. 6.

Bland’s mother — Sheena Renee Bland, 41 — was arrested Oct. 10 and charged with two felony counts of intimidating a witness, accused of making threats against the two victims. She is scheduled for arraignment Nov. 6 in circuit court.

According to the probable cause affidavit, Hot Springs police responded Nov. 8 to the 3000 block of Central Avenue just before 8 p.m. in reference to a woman exiting a gold BMW with blood and tape on her face, hands and feet.

The victim told detectives that a friend had driven her to an unknown address on Fleet Street in a gold BMW earlier in the day. Her friend exited the vehicle and went inside. A short time later, the woman said, Goodman emerged from the house with an AR15-style rifle and approached the vehicle.

She said Goodman aimed the rifle at her head through the open window and hit her in the head with the barrel. He then forced her from the vehicle by pulling her hair and choking her, she said.

At some point, Bland exited the residence and helped Goodman force her and her friend back into the car, according to the affidavit. She said both Goodman and Bland bound her arms and legs with tape and put another piece over her mouth.

The suspects drove the vehicle to Villa Central Apartments, 605 Higdon Ferry Road, where they forced the victim’s friend out of the vehicle and ordered her not to call the police, the affidavit said.

While at the apartments, Bland and Goodman reportedly attempted to force the victim to place her hands on her head. When she refused to comply, Bland struck her in the face with the rifle, causing heavy bleeding above her eye, the affidavit said.

The woman told police that at one point she felt the vehicle stop and she could see headlights through the tape. She said she felt around inside the vehicle for the door handle and realized the door was unlocked. She said she jumped from the vehicle, pulled the tape from her mouth and began screaming for help.