Baltimore, Maryland - U.S. District Judge Catherine C. Blake sentenced Antoine Boyce, age 30, of Baltimore, today to 17 ½ years in prison followed by four years of supervised release for conspiracy to rob a drug dealer, announced United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein.

According to the testimony presented at his eight day trial, on August 15, 2007, a cooperating individual working with law enforcement agreed with Rahsean Holmes to break into a hotel room which purportedly contained multiple kilograms of cocaine and drug proceeds hidden there by a drug trafficker. Holmes and the cooperator met with Terrence Gray, who agreed to participate in the planned robbery and Gray gave the cooperator a firearm to be used during the crime.

Later that day, Holmes, Boyce and Gray arrived at the hotel to prepare to do the robbery. When police approached their vehicle to make an arrest, the conspirators drove away. A 10 to 15 minute car chase ensued through residential neighborhoods of Baltimore City. Police eventually were able to arrest Holmes and Gray near the car.

During the car chase, police officers saw an individual bail out of the fleeing car and attempt to escape through a residential neighborhood. Police and other witnesses identified that person as Boyce. Several witnesses saw Boyce hiding in the backyard of a home, near a child’s playhouse. Officers recovered two firearms near the children’s playhouse. One gun was found leaning on a fence near the playhouse; a second gun was found in the child’s playhouse. Boyce was later arrested.

Terrance Gray, age 26, of Baltimore, was sentenced on July 17, 2008 to 15 years in prison. Rahsean Holmes, age 30, of Waynesboro, Georgia was convicted on May 16, 2008, of conspiracy to commit a commercial robbery, firearms and narcotics offenses and was sentenced on September 10, 2008 to 35 years in federal prison.

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein thanked Baltimore City State’s Attorney Patricia C. Jessamy and Assistant State’s Attorney Christopher Mason, the Drug Enforcement Administration and Baltimore City Police Department, Baltimore County Police Department and the Anne Arundel County Police Department for their assistance in the investigation and prosecution. Mr. Rosenstein commended Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael C. Hanlon, who prosecuted the case.