Prosecuting Attorney Chris Walton announced that following a three day trial, a Saline County jury found John Brandon Self, age 36, of Jacksonville, guilty of Kidnapping on Thursday evening, August 26, 2021. Judge Josh Farmer followed the jury’s recommendation and sentenced Self to 75 years in the Arkansas Department of Correction.
Self followed the victim from her employer in Little Rock after she left work for the day on January 22, 2020. Self also worked for the company also. When the victim arrived home in Benton, a truck hit her car in her driveway. Before she was able to call for help, Self opened the driver door of the victim’s car and forced her from the car at gunpoint. Self dragged the victim by her hair to his truck. The victim and Self struggled outside of Self’s truck in the mud before the victim was able to break free and run to her home.
A passerby witnessed some of the assault, called 911, and followed Self’s truck when it left the victim’s home. Former Det. Jacob Dane of the Saline County Sheriff’s Office responded to the victim’s home where she described her attacker. Employees at their job were able to identify Self and his truck from the victim’s description. It was also reported by the company that Self took an extended break of about an hour and half during the time of the attack.
Records were obtained for Self’s phone. The records showed that on January 22, 2020, Self’s phone pinged for several hours close to his job. The records then show Self’s phone pinging along Interstates 440 and 30, the I-30 Frontage Rd., and finally in Benton, near the victim’s home.
Dane and Agent Ryan Jacks of the Arkansas State Police arrested Self. Before being booked in the Saline County jail, Dane found a purple hair on Self’s hoodie. The victim had purple hair at the time of the attack. An analyst with the FBI determined that the victim could not be excluded as the source of the purple hair found on Self and opined that the chances that the hair belonged to another individual were remote.
Prosecutor Walton and deputy prosecutor Brian Clary handled the case on behalf of the State of Arkansas. Walton expressed his gratitude for the work of the Saline County Sheriff’s Office, Arkansas State Police, FBI, and the Arkansas State Crime Laboratory. Following the guilty verdict, Walton argued to the jury that Self should spend the rest of his life behind bars. Self had previous convictions for drug possession, theft, criminal mischief, and leaving the scene of an accident. According to Walton, the brazen nature of the crime – an assault in the driveway of a home – showed how dangerous Self was to the community.
Walton stated, “I very much appreciate the jury’s verdict on this difficult case. The verdict shows that Saline County residents will not tolerate this type of violent behavior in our community. The victim should also be commended. Not only did she fight off Self that day, but she fought hard in court and over the last year and half to make sure she received justice.”
Judge Farmer sentenced Self as a habitual offender. He will be ineligible for parole until he serves approximately 70% of his sentence.