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Calico Rock Today
By the People, for the People
Former Arkansas Police Chief Pleads Guilty to Prison Escape
Grant Hardin sentenced to additional 13 years for escaping Calico Rock facility.
Published on Feb. 19, 2026
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Grant Hardin, a former police chief from northwest Arkansas who escaped from the Arkansas Department of Corrections North Central Unit at Calico Rock last year, pleaded guilty in Izard County Circuit Court to second-degree escape. He was sentenced to an additional 13 years, which will be served consecutively to his existing 80-year sentence for rape and murder.
Why it matters
Hardin's escape from the Calico Rock prison highlighted ongoing concerns about security and oversight at correctional facilities in Arkansas, as well as the challenges of containing repeat offenders with violent histories.
The details
Hardin escaped from the prison in May 2025 and was captured nearly two weeks later along Moccasin Creek, about a mile and a half west of the prison. He was the former Police Chief of the city of Gateway in northwest Arkansas, where he served for five months before resigning. Hardin was sentenced to 30 years in prison in 2017 for murder and received an additional 50-year sentence for rape in 2019.
- Hardin escaped from the Calico Rock prison in May 2025.
- Hardin was captured nearly two weeks after his escape, in late May 2025.
The players
Grant Hardin
A former police chief from northwest Arkansas who escaped from the Arkansas Department of Corrections North Central Unit at Calico Rock and was sentenced to an additional 13 years for second-degree escape.
Arkansas Department of Corrections
The state agency responsible for operating the North Central Unit prison in Calico Rock, where Hardin was incarcerated.
What’s next
The judge will determine whether Hardin will be eligible for parole on his new 13-year sentence.
The takeaway
This case underscores the need for stronger security measures and better rehabilitation programs in Arkansas prisons to prevent future escapes and protect public safety.
