Perryville man sentenced to 35 years in prison after being found guilty in Scott County

BENTON, Mo. —  A Perryville man has been sentenced to 35 years in prison after being found guilty of felony kidnapping, burglary and weapons charges.

Clint E. Arrington, 49, was sentenced on Thursday by Judge David Dolan following a jury trial June 14 in Scott County, according to a news release from the office of Scott County Prosecuting Attorney Paul Boyd. At the trial, the state was represented by Assistant Prosecutors Tamara Carlson and Tabatha Blakely.

The jury found Arringtion guilty of the B felony of kidnapping, B felony of burglary in the first degree, C felony of felonious restraint, D felony of unlawful use of a weapon, unclassified A felony of armed criminal action, and an A misdemeanor of violation of an order of protection for criminal acts he commenced in the early morning hours of April 7, 2016.

Dolan sentenced Arrington to the following: 15 years on kidnapping concurrent with 15 years on burglary in the first degree; 10 years on felonious restraint consecutive to the 15 year sentence; seven years on unlawful use of a weapon consecutive to the 15 and the 10 year sentences; three years on armed criminal action consecutive to the other sentences, and six months on the violation of the ex-parte concurrent with the total of 35 years in prison.

The state proved that in the early morning hours of April 7, 2016 Arrington entered the victim’s home located in Morley. Arrington came dressed in black with a mask on his face. He rousted the victim out of bed, took possession of her cell phone and forced her into a car he had driven to the home. Arrington had previously pleaded guilty to a violation of an order of protection a few days earlier that was in place to keep him away from the victim. Based on his actions on April 7, 2016, Arrington disregarded the ex-parte order of the court again.

Upon leaving the residence, the door to the house was left open and the victim’s purse was left behind. Once they were in the car, the victim stated that Arrington drove north toward Perryville so he could take her to dismiss the ex-parte order from Perry County. The victim recounted how Arrington bounced between threatening her, her son and her ex-husband while pointing an open-bladed pocket knife concerning their relationships and telling her he loved her and wanted her back. During the kidnapping and felonious restraint, Arrington continued to smoke some substance out of what was described as a methamphetamine or cocaine paraphernalia.

Arrington drove the victim north, then traveled south toward Sikeston and then east into Tennessee. The victim testified that Arringtion drove her around for over 20 hours until Detective Darin Sides with Scott County Sheriff’s Department got a “ping” on Arrington’s phone locating him in Medina, Tenn. After Tennessee officers were alerted, Arrington and the victim were found with the vehicle rescuing her from the ordeal.

Upon the Tennessee officers making contact with the vehicle, Arrington resisted arrest by running from the officers. Arrington was arrested in Tennessee and charged with aggravated kidnapping, evading arrest, driving while license was revoked, possession of a controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia and driving while intoxicated. Arrington was convicted of misdemeanor driving while revoked and misdemeanor evading arrest. Arrington was sentenced to time served of 11 months and 29 days.

Arrington took the stand and testified that this road trip was nothing but a consensual drive with the victim. When asked if he had texted the ex-husband in a threatening way concerning the victim, he denied texting him. On rebuttal, the State called the ex-husband who testified about the threatening text messages and phone calls he got from Arrington on April 6 and 7, 2016. Arrington should serve at least 20 years of his sentences prior to being eligible for parole.