Judge hands down sentence following 2021 hostage situation in Port Arthur

Published 12:36 am Friday, February 18, 2022

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A woman who held three people hostage inside of a Port Arthur apartment last year will not face jail time.

Jasmine Gardner was originally charged with three counts of aggravated kidnapping for a Sept. 4 altercation in which hostage negotiators and SWAT responded in Port Arthur.

This week, in Judge Raquel West’s 252nd District Court, Gardner pleaded guilty to a lesser offense — two counts of kidnapping with the third charge dropped.

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She was sentenced to 10 years deferred probation and a $500 fine, according to information from the Jefferson County District attorney’s Office.

Langston Adams represented Gardner and Ashley Molfino prosecuted the case.

Authorities previously told Port Arthur Newsmedia, Gardner held an adult and two juveniles at gunpoint for three hours at Cedar Ridge Apartments in the 7600 block of 9th Avenue.

The woman had been visiting from out of town and went to the apartment with a relative, police initially said.

Port Arthur Police Hostage Negotiators and Port Arthur Police SWAT were called to the scene for the three-hour standoff. Hostage negotiators were able to get Gardner to surrender without violence.