Man accused of kidnapping 13-year-old girl jailed

Pine Bluff police arrested a 44-year-old man accused of kidnapping a 13-year-old girl from a convenience store Thursday.

Police responded to the Pine Bluff Corner Market, 2118 W. 13th Ave., in reference to a video on social media that police say appeared to show the girl being forcibly placed into a vehicle by a man.

Following an initial investigation, according to police, the man was identified as Arnice Rogers Jr.

He was located, detained and transported to the detective’s office for an interview, but police did not indicate where Rogers was located. Police say Rogers had visible scratches on his face and a busted lip at the time of contact.

Security footage from the Corner Market shows a female inside the store speaking with the clerk, who gave her a telephone, according to police.

“The video then shows Rogers escorting the female from the store, shoving her into the front passenger seat of his vehicle and leaving the area traveling southbound on Hazel Street,” police said in a news release. “The female was later located and interviewed, stating she was walking when Rogers attempted to pick her up in his vehicle, but she ran away.”

Police say the victim told them Rogers caught up with her near Burger Barn, 1301 S. Hazel St., grabbed her by the waist and tried to force her into his vehicle. She reportedly added she eventually broke free from Rogers and escaped from the vehicle near Central Park.

A witness at the market corroborated the victim’s statement, police say.

Rogers was booked in the W.C. “Dub” Brassell Detention Center on suspicion of kidnapping at 11:50 p.m. Thursday, according to online jail records.