Authorities said two men were sentenced to prison for kidnapping a woman in Dallas and taking her to Arkansas last June.
United States Attorney Conner Eldridge released a statement indicating that Michael Roberts and Jason Petitt, both 25, were sentenced on one count each of conspiracy to commit kidnapping.
The victim — whose name was not released — told police she was walking to her apartment June 13, 2014 when Roberts attacked her and forced her into her apartment, according to the statement.
Roberts began choking her when 22-year-old Theron Vance entered the apartment and identified himself as an FBI agent.
Roberts and Vance told the victim they would kill her if she didn't go with them, authorities said. The victim cooperated when Roberts and Vance told her to pack a bag and leave a note for her roommate explaining her disappearance, but she also left a note telling her roommate to "call 911."
The victim told police that Roberts and Vance said they kidnapped her so she couldn't testify against Roberts in a pending criminal case.
Roberts and Vance then took the victim to Bentonville in Vance's car. On the way, police said they stopped at a gas station in Eufaula, Oklahoma where the victim left another note in the restroom saying she had been taken.
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The next day, the victim was taken to a Bentonville Wal-Mart where she went to the restroom and gave an employee a note saying she had been kidnapped. The employee called 911.
Police arrested Vance June 16. Authorities said he admitted to spending about four months planning the kidnapping with Roberts. He also admitted to wearing a fake FBI badge and breaking the victim's cellphone so they would not be tracked.
Authorities arrested Roberts and Petitt Sept. 5, 2014.
Petitt told police that he and Roberts had been roommates. He said Roberts told him he had an ex-girlfriend in Dallas that he was going to "take care of" and that Roberts and Vance planned to abduct and kill the victim. He also admitted to using Roberts' debit card, car and cellphone to make it look like Roberts was still in Bentonville during the Dallas kidnapping.
"The elaborate planning that these defendants went to in order to keep her from testifying against one of them is unthinkable," Eldridge said.
Petitt pleaded guilty to the kidnapping charge Oct. 21. He was sentenced to four years in prison, three years of supervised release and ordered to pay a $2,000 fine and $1,832 in restitution.
Roberts pleaded guilty Nov. 3 and was sentenced to 10 years in prison, five years of supervised release and ordered to pay a $3,500 fine and $1,832 in restitution.
"Roberts and Petitt terrorized the victim and have earned their place in a federal prison," Special Agent in Charge David T. Resch, with the FBI in Little Rock, said.
