LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — United States District Judge Lee P. Rudofsky sentenced a Little Rock man to 20 years in federal prison for arson after setting two coffee shops on fire in March 2022.
50-year-old Trent Smith received the maximum sentence for his crimes on Monday. Smith was also ordered to serve three years of supervised release.
"A maximum sentence was sought in this case because both the victim and the public deserve to be safe from this defendant for as long as the law would allow," U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas Jonathan D. Ross said. "Protecting victims and the public from violent criminals is our office’s number one priority, and so our office will not hesitate to continue to seek maximum prison sentences against criminals who use violence to destroy lives, businesses, and our fundamental right to safety.”
On March 3, 2022, the Little Rock Fire Department responded to several calls for service at two separate Grind Coffee Bistro locations, one at the Pleasant Ridge Town Center and the other at the intersection of East 21st Street and Commerce Street.
While extinguishing the fire at the Pleasant Ridge Town Center location, firefighters located an "overturned can of gas in the bathroom," which authorities said was similar to the two 2-gallon Scepter-brand gas cans Smith purchased from the Walmart off East McCain Boulevard.
An investigation into the incidents revealed that the owner of the Grind Coffee Bistro ended her relationship with Smith a few days before the fires. On February 26, 2022, he "physically assaulted the victim."
According to officials, the Little Rock man attempted to contact the victim several times on the same day as the fires, and investigators learned that the spare keys to the business were missing.
Surveillance footage from the business's Cantrell location revealed Smith at the coffee shop from 9:21 p.m. until 9:43 p.m. Approximately one minute later, the Little Rock Fire Department was notified of a water flow activation alarm, and firefighters were dispatched to the fire at the East 21st Street location about 19 minutes after Smith left the Cantrell location.
The Office of the United States Attorney Eastern District of Arkansas noted that this isn't Smith's first run-in with the law.
Smith, who has a substantial and violent criminal history, was convicted in 2016 in Saline County for aggravated assault on a family or household member and terroristic threatening in the first degree after he attacked a victim, threatened to kill her, and drove a car into the residence attempting to strike her.
Smith then fled to Kentucky, where he fled from law enforcement at speeds of 110 miles per hour and ultimately almost struck multiple officers with his vehicle, for which he was convicted of first-degree wanton endangerment. Smith also had prior convictions for aggravated assault and second-degree battery for an incident where multiple officers were injured, battery in the third degree involving domestic violence, and unlawfully possessing a firearm.
“Given this defendant’s depraved crimes in the present case and his violent criminal history, we are grateful that the Court agreed with our request for the maximum sentence and sentenced this defendant to 20 years in federal prison," Ross said.
During the sentencing, the victim told the Court how hard she worked to build these businesses as a single mother and spoke about the violence inflicted by Smith against her. The victim said she hoped to protect others from Smith by coming forward to speak.
Smith was indicted by a federal grand jury on April 5, 2022, in a two-count indictment charging him with the use of a fire/explosive to damage or destroy property with injury to persons. He pleaded guilty to one count on July 25, 2023, and the remaining count was dismissed.