North Little Rock Man Charged with Arson in Connection with Two Coffee Shop Fires

      LITTLE ROCK— A North Little Rock man has been arrested and charged with arson following two fires at Little Rock coffee shops. Trent Tyrone Smith, 48, was charged in a criminal complaint on March 11, 2022. He was arraigned today before United States Magistrate Judge J. Thomas Ray.

      On March 3, 2022, Little Rock Fire Department responded to calls from two separate locations of The Grind Coffee Bistro, one in Pleasant Ridge Town Center and one on 21st Street, both in Little Rock. Both locations had been deliberately set on fire. The coffee shop owner identified Smith as her former boyfriend. Smith was arrested on March 11, 2022.

      The investigation is being conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives with assistance from the Little Rock Fire Department Fire Marshal’s Office and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Benecia Moore.

      A criminal complaint only contains allegations. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

# # #

This news release, as well as additional information about the office of the

United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, is available online at

https://www.justice.gov/edar

Twitter:

@EDARNEWS