BILLINGS, MT – A 20-year-old Billings woman admitted today to violently hijacking a vehicle at gunpoint, a brazen act that left the victim fleeing for his life. Talena Florence Boyiddle pleaded guilty to carjacking and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, bringing her one step closer to facing serious consequences for her actions.
The January 23, 2023, incident began with a calculated deception. Boyiddle, known online as “Nicole,” lured the victim, identified as John Doe 1, into a late-night meeting under the pretense of a simple pick-up. But when the victim arrived, he found himself trapped in his own car with Boyiddle and two unknown male accomplices. They directed him to a desolate alley behind a laundromat, where the scheme quickly turned sinister.
According to court documents, Boyiddle brandished a Glock pistol, racking the slide twice and leveling it directly at the victim. The trio then announced their intent to rob him. Terrified, the victim bolted from the vehicle, leaving his 2003 Honda Civic behind. The group then made off with the car. Police recovered the vehicle later that day with switched plates, only to have it stolen again a few days after being returned to its owner.
The break in the case came in February 2023, when Billings Police located Boyiddle inside the victim’s car, this time in possession of a Glock 9mm handgun. Investigators connected “Nicole” to Boyiddle through a damning Facebook photo. The government alleges the group utilized keys obtained during the initial carjacking to steal the vehicle a second time, demonstrating a calculated and persistent criminal intent.
Boyiddle now faces a potential prison sentence of up to 15 years for the carjacking charge, along with a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. More alarmingly, the firearm charge carries a mandatory minimum of five years to life in prison, consecutive to any other sentence imposed, another $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. U.S. Magistrate Judge Timothy J. Cavan presided over the guilty plea, and sentencing will be determined by U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters after consideration of sentencing guidelines and other factors.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Colin M. Rubich is prosecuting the case. The investigation was a joint effort between the Billings Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). This case is part of the Department of Justice’s Project Safe Neighborhoods, a program aimed at reducing violent crime and gun violence across the country. Boyiddle remains detained pending sentencing.
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