OXFORD — A Memphis man has been sentenced to more than 14 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to kidnapping a woman in Southaven, authorities said.
Elmer Smith, 39, of Memphis, Tennessee, was sentenced by Senior U.S. District Court Judge Michael P. Mills to 170 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. He was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service after sentencing.
According to court documents, Smith traveled from Memphis to Southaven on Feb. 15, 2024, in search of the victim, with whom he had an intimate relationship. Authorities said he located her at her workplace, assaulted her and forced her into his vehicle before taking her back to Memphis without her consent.
The victim was later located by the Memphis Police Department, which arrested Smith a short time after the abduction.
U.S. Attorney Scott F. Leary said the crime would not be tolerated.
“Such conduct is unconscionable and will not be tolerated in our district,” Leary said in a statement, adding that those who travel to Mississippi to commit crimes “will be caught, prosecuted and jailed.”
Robert Eikhoff, special agent in charge of the FBI Jackson Field Office, said the sentence sends a clear message that violent acts will be prosecuted.
“There is no excuse for the abuse or the profound trauma inflicted on the victim,” Eikhoff said, adding that the FBI will continue working with law enforcement partners to hold offenders accountable.
Authorities credited the Southaven Police Department and the Memphis Police Department for their work on the case.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Philip Levy and Robert Mims.
