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YOUNGSTOWN -- A New Haven, Conn., man who tried to elude authorities at a Niles motel last fall received a 37-month federal prison sentence on Friday.
Montrell Holmes, 25, appeared before U.S. Judge Pamela A. Barker of Northern Ohio District Court for sentencing. He also faces three years of supervised release after his prison term is completed.
On Jan. 14, Holmes changed his plea to guilty to a charge of assaulting, resisting or impeding an officer.
On Oct. 26, 2021, U.S. Marshals located a vehicle linked to Holmes' woman friend in the southeast parking lot of the Days Inn at 1300 Youngstown Warren Road, Niles. Holmes at the time was wanted on a warrant from Boardman police in connection with a stolen vehicle that rammed a police cruiser in Poland Village.
Task force members surrounded Room 203 of the Niles motel and as agents entered the room, Holmes was running toward the balcony, according to a report. As they struggled, the balcony railing collapsed, causing Holmes and an agent to fall to the ground. A jail photo shows Holmes with a deep cut on his nose.
Agents moved in with a stun weapon to subdue Holmes, eventually putting him in leg restraints and handcuffs. Holmes was taken to Trumbull Regional Medical Center to be treated. Afterward, Holmes was taken into custody by Boardman police.
In a presentence memo, attorney Lawrence Delino Jr. of Akron told the court his client is not prone to violence and "has already paid dearly" for the crimes he committed. The memo contains two photos of a bloodied Holmes sprawled on the pavement of the motel exterior after his fall from the balcony.
Delino also noted that Holmes had a crack-addict mother who made him provide the basics of life for himself at age 9. Holmes started using marijuana and alcohol at age 6 and was forced to live on the streets at age 12.
In the Boardman case involving the Poland police cruiser, Mahoning County court records show Holmes was indicted by a grand jury on Dec. 2 on charges of robbery, two counts failure to comply with order or signal of police officer, receiving stolen property, grand theft, obstructing official business, resisting arrest and contributing to the delinquency of a minor.
In that case, common pleas Judge Maureen Sweeney on April 1 ruled the defendant is to be made "unavailable" because of his federal court result.