HOT SPRINGS -- The second of two suspects arrested last year in the kidnapping of two women was sentenced to 20 years in prison Monday after pleading guilty to felony charges in Garland County Circuit Court.
Djuan Larell Goodman, 22, of Hot Springs, who has remained in custody with bail set at $250,000 since his arrest Dec. 4, 2017, was set to stand trial Jan. 29, but instead pleaded guilty to two counts of kidnapping and was sentenced to 20 years on each count, and two counts of aggravated assault and was sentenced to six years on each count, all to run concurrently.
Additional charges of second-degree battery and theft of property were withdrawn and a court order permanently barring him from any future contact with either of the victims was issued at the hearing.
His accomplice, Marcus Tre Bland III, 21, also of Hot Springs, pleaded guilty to the same charges on Oct. 24 and was given the same sentence, including the no-contact order. Bland's mother, Sheena Renee Bland, 41, was arrested on Oct. 10 and charged with two felony counts of intimidating a witness over threats reportedly made to the two victims.
Sheena Bland pleaded innocent to the charges Dec. 4 in circuit court and a hearing to determine the admissibility of any statements she made to Hot Springs police is set for Feb. 19.
According to the probable-cause affidavit in the kidnapping, on Nov. 8, 2017, police responded to the 3000 block of Central Avenue just before 8 p.m. in response to a call about a bloodied woman getting out a gold BMW with tape on her hands and feet.
The victim told detectives a friend had driven her to an unknown address on Fleet Street in a gold BMW earlier in the day, where her friend went inside. A short time later, she said Goodman, who was known to her, emerged from the house with an AR-15 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, who was also known to her, exited the residence and helped Goodman force her and her friend back into the car. She said both Goodman and Bland bound her arms and legs with tape and put another piece over her mouth.
The men 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.
While at the apartments, Bland and Goodman 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.
Before leaving the apartments, a third man reportedly entered the vehicle and began telling her he was going to "cut her fingers off and have a bunch of guys rape her." More tape was wrapped around her hands, feet and head, securing her limbs and covering her eyes.
She said at one point she felt the vehicle stop and 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.
One of the men attempted to force her back into the vehicle, but she ran inside Kroger, 3341 Central Ave., with the help of witnesses in the parking lot.
She was later transported to CHI St. Vincent Hot Springs to receive treatment for the cut above her eye. Warrants were issued for Bland and Goodman and both men surrendered on Dec. 4, 2017.
Metro on 01/04/2019