A man who kidnapped his girlfriend from a local bar was sentenced to seven and a half years in prison today by Senior Judge Schiveley.

24-year-old Anthony McGuire was convicted in January of punching, strangling and kidnapping his former girlfriend at the Red Rock Lounge on Feb. 21, 2012. McGuire attacked the woman in the parking lot, threw her into the backseat of his truck and sped off. An officer spotted the speeding vehicle and took chase. McGuire lost the cop but was eventually spotted near D and Anderson streets. McGuire eventually crashed into the landscaping of the Taco Bell near Wal-Mart. He then sped away again but a call reporting a disturbance on Shannon Lane eventually led to his arrest.

McGuire was found guilty of charges of first-degree kidnapping, fourth-degree assault, strangulation, attempted elude, DUII, reckless driving and reckless endangering.

During sentencing, McGuire told the judge he felt he did not receive a fair trial. The defense plans to bring new witnesses forward during the appeals process in an attempt to prove McGuire’s innocence.