When Howard police arrested Shamal Chapman at his Ellicott City house in March, they noticed the artwork on his walls.
The paintings were reported stolen two months earlier from a Columbia couple robbed at gunpoint, according to the police report.
Chapman, 28, pleaded guilty to two counts of armed robbery Tuesday before Howard Circuit Judge Diane Leasure in what prosecutors called “one of the most horrifying crimes imaginable.”
Courtney Hresko told Howard police she was watching a movie with her boyfriend, Ranajit Chaudhry, in January 2007 at his house in Columbia.
Hresko screamed as threemasked men appeared in the living room and struck Chaudhry in the face with a gun, according to the police report.
The men duct-taped the couple to chairs and bound their hands before ransacking the house and taking a plasma television, paintings and a Rolex watch, among other items.
One of the suspects held a gun to Chaudhry?s head and said, “Let?s just finish them off,” according to the police report.
Prosecutors dropped 18 other charges in return for Chapman?s guilty plea to armed robbery, which carries a maximum of 20 years for each count.
Chapman?s attorney, Sam Truette, said one of the co-conspirator?s planned the robbery, and Chapman was “the least threatening and demonstrated the least aggression.”
Before sentencing, Chapman?s friends and family spoke on his behalf.
“I ask that you take into consideration that he does have a family and a future with his two kids,” said his fiancee, T?Kia Neal.
Chapman?s friend Jarod Ingram said he?s “a hell of a father and a hell of a friend.”
Chapman was moved by the comments and wiped his eyes.
Leasure sentenced him to 20 years with all but 10 years suspended for each count.
He may serve the sentences concurrently and must serve about 50 percent of the time before he is eligible for parole, Leasure said.
Chapman also was prohibited from contacting the victims, who were so frightened by the incident that they moved out of state, prosecutors said.
