BENTONVILLE — Police arrested three people in connection with a plot to kidnap a man, beat him with a baseball bat and deliver him to a drug dealer.
Bentonville police made the arrests after the man came to the Police Department at 1:40 p.m. Tuesday to report his ex-girlfriend had come into one of his friend’s house at 3204 Mimosa Way and attacked him, according to court documents.
Jason Emerson told police Danett Lynn Stracar-Pinoski, 34, found him in the garage and demanded he get into a van parked in front of the house. Emerson said two men were with her, and he refused to go, according to the affidavit.
Emerson claims one of the men pulled a knife, and Stracar-Pinoski punched him on the head using brass knuckles, according to the affidavit.
Emerson’s friend came into the garage, and Stracar-Pinoski and the two men fled, according to the affidavit.
Rogers police later found Stracar-Pinoski and one of the men, Chad Justin Neely, at 1802 S. Ninth St., according to court documents.
Stracar-Pinoski told police she was never in a romantic relationship with Emerson, and allowed him to live with her when he was homeless. She said Emerson was never more than a roommate, according to the affidavit.
Stracar-Pinoski said Emerson assaulted her and she wanted revenge, according to court documents.
Stracar-Pinoski initially told police she had hired a hitman to track down Emerson but changed her story. She told police her fiance, Neely, went with her to the house with the intention of trying to get Emerson in the van so she could kill Emerson or seriously injure him, according to the affidavit.
She later told police she never intended to kill Emerson but wanted to get him in the van so she could hit him on the head with a baseball bat.
Neely admitted to a kidnapping plot involving himself, Stracar-Pinoski and Curtis Slinkard, according to court records.
Neely claimed the plan was to take Emerson to Stracar-Pinoski’s home in Rogers where Stracar-Pinoski was going to beat Emerson with a baseball bat, according to the affidavit. Neely also said he believed Emerson was responsible for breaking into their home and stealing a safe and Stracar-Pinoski’s underwear, according to court documents.
Neely said the safe contained 2 ounces of marijuana and money, according to the affidavit.
Slinkard was offered money to go with Neely and Stracar-Pinoski to the home on Mimosa Way, but Slinkard turned down the money and offered to help for free. Neely said they had planned to kidnap Emerson for two months, according to the affidavit.
Neely said the marijuana belonged to his drug supplier and was angry it had been stolen. Neely claimed the supplier agreed to forget about the marijuana loss if Neely and Stracar-Pinoski kidnapped Emerson and brought him to the supplier in Berryville, according to the affidavit.
The affidavit states Neely told police they planned to kidnap Emerson and take him to the Rogers house where Stracar-Pinoski would beat him with a baseball bat. They then would deliver him to the supplier.
Stracar-Pinoski filed a police report in November saying she was a crime victim and named Emerson as the suspect. An investigation is ongoing, and no charges have been filed against Emerson in that case, according to the affidavit.
Stracar-Pinoski was arrested in connection with aggravated residential burglary, attempted kidnapping, domestic battering in the second degree and criminal use of a prohibited weapon. Neely was arrested in connection with aggravated residential burglary, attempted kidnapping and aggravated assault. Slinkard was arrested in connection with attempted kidnapping.
Neely, Slinkard and Stracar-Pinoski were being held Friday in the Benton County Jail each on a $100,000 bond.
Prosecutors haven’t filed formal charges in the case.