LITTLE ROCK, AR – Trent Tyrone Smith, 50, of Little Rock, is facing two decades behind bars after a federal judge handed down the maximum sentence for a brazen arson attack targeting The Grind Coffee Bistro. The fires, deliberately set at two locations on March 3, 2022, weren’t random acts of vandalism, but a calculated attempt to inflict damage and terrorize a former partner, according to federal prosecutors.
The Little Rock Fire Department (LRFD) first responded to a water flow alarm at The Grind’s Pleasant Ridge Town Center location, finding no immediate sign of fire. But hours later, the situation escalated. Crews were called back to Pleasant Ridge and simultaneously responded to a fully-involved fire at The Grind’s East 21st Street location. Firefighters found the front door locked, smoke billowing from the windows, and quickly discovered two fires raging in the kitchen and a third in the storage room. An overturned gas can in the bathroom pointed to a deliberate act.
Federal investigators quickly connected Smith to the scene. Evidence revealed he’d purchased two 2-gallon Scepter-brand gas cans from a local Walmart just days before the fires. The investigation also uncovered a disturbing pattern of escalating violence and control. Smith had physically assaulted the owner of The Grind Coffee Bistro, the victim in this case, on February 26, 2022, just days before the arson. Following the assault, the victim changed the locks on her residence, prompting Smith to remove his belongings.
The same day as the fires, Smith relentlessly attempted to contact the victim, and her juvenile son reported shots fired at their home – later determined to be an object striking a window. Adding to the complexity, spare keys to The Grind Coffee Bistro were missing. Surveillance footage placed Smith at the Cantrell Road location of the coffee shop shortly before the first alarm was triggered. Nineteen minutes later, the LRFD was battling the blaze at the East 21st Street location, confirming a deliberate timeline.
U.S. Attorney Jonathan D. Ross, speaking after Monday’s sentencing, emphasized the severity of Smith’s actions and the justification for the maximum penalty. “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,” Ross stated. “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.”
U.S. District Judge Lee P. Rudofsky agreed, sentencing Trent Tyrone Smith to the full 20 years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Smith’s extensive criminal history, coupled with the calculated nature of the arson and the preceding domestic violence, sealed his fate. The case serves as a stark reminder that violence against individuals will be met with the full force of federal law, and that those who attempt to terrorize communities through arson will be held accountable.
Related Federal Cases
- James Beeks, Assaulting Law Enforcement Officer, Little Rock AR, 2021 · Florida
- Musab Mohammed Masmari Sentenced to 10 Years for Arson, Seattle WA,… · Alaska
- Mark Duane Fuston, Conspiracy to Commit Arson, Vancouver WA, 2003 · Florida
- Joseph Robert Smith, Attempted Murder of Law Enforcement Officer, T… · Illinois
- Tyrone Edward Wright, Bank Robbery, DC 2024 · Colorado
Get the grimiest stories delivered weekly. Subscribe free
Browse More
MORE FEDERAL CRIME NEWS
Violent CrimeViolent CrimeViolent CrimeViolent Crime