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Edgewood native Bernard Lamont Staten received the maximum sentence after pleading guilty in separate cases to attempted second-degree rape and possession with intent to distribute cocaine.
In January, prosecutors say that his victim was stranded on the side of the road waiting for a tow truck, and despite not knowing her, offered to give the woman a ride to her home in Westminster; however, Staten had other intentions.
Instead, Staten took the woman to to Motel 6 in Edgewood, grabbed her arm, took her from his truck and into a room he had already rented. Once inside, he pushed her onto the bed and attempted to have sex with her while she screamed and refused his advances.
Staten then held a pillow over the woman's face to quiet her while attempting to remove her pants and continuing to state his intention to have sex with her while she continued yelling and kicking the wall to fight him off.
According to investigators, the woman believes that she kicked Staten in the groin, which allowed her to escape the room and call the police, though he wasn't done yet.
Staten again tried to lure the woman back into his vehicle by stating he had her wedding rings, which were removed in the truck, and she could come retrieve them, to which she refused.
Investigators were ultimately able to conduct a search of Staten's vehicle, which led to the recovery of her rings, as well as 13 grams of crack cocaine in individually wrapped bags in the vehicle.
Staten was sentenced to 30 years in prison, the maximum allowed for his crimes.
"Given (Staten's) age, a 30-year sentence in these cases ensures the community will never again be at risk to be victimized by (him)," State's Attorney Alison Healey said.
"In addition, it also continues our message to our community that we will not tolerate these acts of violence, distribution of drugs, or any type of crime for that matter in Harford County."
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