AUSA VICKIE E. LEDUC at 410-209-4885

June 23, 2006

FORMER BALTIMORE CITY POLICE OFFICER ANTONIO MURRAY SENTENCED TO 139 YEARS IN PRISON FOR ROBBERY, DRUG TRAFFICKING AND FIREARMS OFFENSES

BALTIMORE, Maryland - Antonio Murray, age 35, of Abingdon, Maryland was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge J. Frederick Motz to 1,668 months in prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release after being convicted on April 7, 2006, along with co-defendant William King, age 35, of Baltimore, Maryland on charges of conspiracy to obstruct commerce by robbery; conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute heroin, marijuana and over five grams of cocaine base; and conspiracy to possess firearms in furtherance of a crime of violence, United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein announced. Additionally, Murray was convicted of 6 counts of possession of firearms in furtherance of a crime of violence or a drug trafficking crime, four robberies and four counts of possession with intent to distribute heroin. King was convicted of 13 counts of possession of firearms in furtherance of a crime of violence or a drug trafficking crime, seven robberies and seven counts of possession with intent to distribute heroin as well as counts for distribution of marijuana and cocaine base.

At the time of their crimes, King and Murray were police detectives with the Baltimore City Police Department.

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein said, “The sentence imposed today closes a sad chapter for the Baltimore Police Department and the many honest, hard-working police officers who risk their lives on the streets of Baltimore every day. Officers King and Murray will spend the rest of their lives in federal prison as punishment for betraying the public trust by stealing drugs and money, selling drugs and pocketing the profits. Anyone who deals drugs and carries a gun should be on notice that federal mandatory minimum sentences apply to all armed drug dealers."

Acting Special Agent in Charge Frank E. Goetz, of the Baltimore Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation stated "Mr. Murray took an oath to protect the citizens of Baltimore from the violence brought about by the illegal drug trade. Instead, he chose to betray his fellow officers and the citizens of Baltimore by engaging in the drug trade he had sworn to fight."

Testimony at trial proved that from at least 2004 until May 2005, King and Murray conspired to rob drug dealers of their drugs and money and then to sell the drugs in Baltimore City. Witnesses testified that King and Murray used their police powers and service pistols, to detain drug dealers. King and Murray then took the drugs and drug proceeds from the dealers through threats of force, arrest and prosecution. They would release the dealers without any resulting charges or prosecution. King and Murray later split the proceeds of the illegal seizures from the drug dealers, as well as the proceeds from the sale of the drugs they seized from the dealers.

King was sentenced on June 16,2006 to over 315 years in prison.

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein praised the Federal Bureau of Investigation for its investigative work and thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys A. David Copperthite and Charles J. Peters, who prosecuted the case.