MIDDLETOWN MAN PLEADS GUILTY, WILL SERVE 35 YEARS IN THE DIVISION OF CORRECTIONS FOR ATTEMPTED FIRST-DEGREE MURDER AND THIRD-DEGREE SEX OFFENSE
PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
MAY 6, 2026
MIDDLETOWN MAN PLEADS GUILTY, WILL SERVE 35 YEARS IN THE DIVISION OF CORRECTIONS FOR ATTEMPTED FIRST-DEGREE MURDER AND THIRD-DEGREE SEX OFFENSE
Frederick, MD – Yesterday afternoon, in Frederick County Circuit Court the Honorable Judge Scott Rolle sentenced 24-year-old Trey Rice, of Middletown, MD to a life sentence and ordered him to serve 35 years in the Division of Corrections for Attempted First-Degree Murder and Third-Degree Sex Offense. The Defendant pleaded guilty to both charges and the State’s request was above the guidelines for these offenses.
On January 14, 2025 Frederick police responded to 400 W. 7th St., Frederick Health Hospital for a report of an assault. The female victim was transported by ambulance the night before on January 13, 2025 after an employee of McClintock Distillery called 9-1-1 around 11:00 pm. The call was originally for an unconscious woman in the bathroom at this location. EMS was dispatched and transported the female to FHH for a medial evaluation, however, the police were not notified at that time. At the hospital, the Victim was evaluated by a S.A.F.E. (Sexual Assault Forensic Examination) nurse and FHH staff contacted police the next day to formally report the Victim’s multiple injuries once the victim was able to recollect more of the evening.
The Victim told police she was at a holiday staff party at McClintock’s the night before and recalled seeing the Defendant on her way to the restroom but had no further recollection of what occurred after that. Co-workers advised they were unable to locate the victim at the end of the party and attempted to call her phone numerous times to no avail. The bartender explained to police that after the guests left, he heard ringing coming from the bathroom and knocked on the door of the bathroom and heard a man’s voice reply. The man said he would be one minute, but after some time, the bartender knocked on the door again and then observed the Defendant exit the bathroom and run out of the establishment. The bartender looked in the bathroom and discovered the victim unconscious on the floor with her breasts exposed. The bartender attempted to run after the Defendant to stop him, but the Defendant was unable to be located. The owner later provided surveillance video to police showing the Defendant fleeing the establishment.
On January 15, 2025 the Defendant was apprehended at his residence 300 Franklin St. # C 32, Middletown, Maryland by Frederick Police. A search warrant obtained authorized his transport to FHH for a SAFE exam. The Defendant told the S.A.F.E. nurse at the hospital, “I attacked a woman.” He continued to state that he sexually assaulted the same woman and told police he had homicidal thoughts during the work holiday party. He further explained that he began to seek out a victim to kill toward the conclusion of the party and that he identified the victim as who it was going to be. He lured the victim into the bathroom by telling her that he needed to show her something. He followed her inside, immediately placed her in a chokehold, rendering her unconscious. He then sexually assaulted her while she was unconcious. He said that when he noticed her hand moving, he began strangling her again. He said when he heard an employee knock on the door, he decided to leave the bathroom and exited the establishment. He said that when he left the victim her breathing was labored, and when he didn’t hear anything the next day he assumed she was dead.
The Victim addressed the Court saying, “I was left for dead. . . . He is a danger to all women in our society. My life is changed forever. He robbed me of the peace I once had.”
State’s Attorney Charlie Smith said, “It’s unbelievable how low the Maryland State Sentencing Guidelines were for these crimes. Thankfully Chief ASA Carpenter and Judge Rolle saw the magnitude of this horrible crime and the extreme potential for this Defendant to reoffend. This offender is what nightmares are made of. I really feel for this victim and pray for her healing.”
Upon release, the Defendant will serve five years of supervised probation with all standard conditions. Special conditions will include, Lifetime Sex Offender Registration and GPS supervision, no access to the Internet, no viewing of pornography, no contact with the victim or her family, no contact with minors, submit to psycho-sexual and mental health evaluation and treatment. Upon conclusion of probation, the Defendant will be on lifetime sex offender supervision.
Chief Assistant State’s Attorney, Special Victims Unit, Lindsey Carpenter represented the State of Maryland.
Press Contact:
Jacqueline Rottmann
Media Relations Officer
301-600-2972
100 West Patrick Street
Frederick, Maryland 21701
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