A local man who assaulted his live-in girlfriend, who was nine months pregnant at the time, and held her prisoner earlier this year was sentenced to prison Monday after pleading guilty in Garland County Circuit Court.
Alfred Roland Jenkins Jr., 35, who had no prior felony history, pleaded guilty to a felony count of third-degree domestic battery, punishable by up to six years in prison, and was sentenced to four years and must complete domestic violence classes. A previously issued court order barring him from contact with the victim will remain in place.
According to the probable cause affidavit, on Feb. 13, around 7:45 p.m., Hot Springs police responded to Jenkins' residence in the 700 block of Cypress Street after receiving several third-party reports a woman had been beaten and was being held against her will at the residence by her boyfriend, identified as Jenkins.
The woman's mother told officers at the scene she had received a phone call from her daughter's neighbor who had seen Jenkins punching the victim outside their residence.
Officers spoke to the neighbor who was concerned for the victim's welfare because she knew she was nine months pregnant and "due any day now" and was complaining of labor pains during the altercation with Jenkins. She said she saw Jenkins shoving and hitting the victim as she continually told him to leave, but he refused.
The altercation moved back inside the apartment, the neighbor said, and the victim's mother said she could see Jenkins through an open bedroom window. Officers attempted contact numerous times, but there was no sound from the apartment. They noted the victim's vehicle was parked out front, "furthering their belief she was inside the apartment."
Dispatchers and the victim's mother attempted numerous times to call the victim and Jenkins, but no one answered. Finally, the mother received a text from Jenkins stating the victim was at the hospital, but police checked both local hospitals and determined she was not at either of them.
Officers finally obtained a key from the Hot Springs Housing Authority officer and opened the door. Once inside, they located Jenkins and removed him from the residence. At that point, the victim emerged and officers noted she was "visibly shaken and injured" with bruised and swollen eyes, "disheveled hair" and complaining of cramps.
The victim said while officers were outside attempting to make contact, Jenkins was inside "hushing her" and not allowing her to open the door. She said Jenkins was angry and accusing her of cheating. She said he had punched her numerous times throughout the day and shoved her to the ground at least five times.
The affidavit notes there were five young children, ages 9, 8, 5, 3 and 2, inside the residence during the incident.
After his arrest, Jenkins admitted to the incident and told police he "wasn't in his right mind" at the time and was "on drugs" while it was happening.
He said he believed the victim was cheating on him and it caused him to become "emotionally unstable" which culminated with him pushing and hitting her multiple times.
Jenkins was released on $7,500 bond on March 15 and was scheduled to be arraigned in circuit court on April 29, but failed to appear. A zero bond bench warrant was issued for his arrest and he was taken into custody again on July 3 and had remained in custody since then.
He pleaded not guilty to the charge on July 26 and a no-contact order was issued at that time. The case had been reset for a disposition hearing multiple times before the final hearing on Monday. As part of the plea deal, prosecutors agreed not to file the failure to appear charge.
Local on 12/11/2019