OAKLAND — The suspect in the robbery of a man who claimed he “just wanted to make friends” with a local sex worker has been sentenced to two years in federal prison, court records show.
Brice Burford, 25, pleaded no contest to being a felon in possession of firearms that were found outside his window at the Laurel Inn on MacArthur Boulevard, after police showed up there to arrest him on robbery charges. Burford still faces a pending robbery case in Alameda County.
Burford was sentenced on Oct. 1 by U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers. He’s due in the robbery case next month.
The victim of the Oct. 16, 2025 robbery, a 41-year-old man, told police he was robbed for a laptop and $180 in cash while attempting to become “friends” with a 21-year-old suspected sex worker who allegedly aided in the robbery. The victim was punched 20-30 times during the robbery, ran away to call police, and returned to find about $2,000 in damage to his car, according to court records.
The man, an Uber driver, later insisted he “just wanted to make friends” with the woman and had zero intention of paying her for sex, authorities said in court filings.
Burford was identified as the suspected robber and charged, along with the woman, court records show. Prosecutors say he tried to stash two guns, including an AK-47, before surrendering to police at the hotel.
Burford’s lawyer asked for a 12-month sentence, writing in court records that he needed to be there for his family. His child’s mother said in a support letter that “it would be helpful if he could drop her off and pick her up from school and help support me while I work my full time job.” Burford’s grandmother wrote that he “deeply regrets” what happened.
“He recognized the gravity of his mistakes and is actively taking steps to get his life together. Brice is focused on securing stable, full-time employment,” Burford’s grandmother wrote in her support letter. “He understands that finding and maintaining honest work is essential not only to satisfy the court’s requirements but to build a responsible and independent life.”
This case was one of more than 50 files by federal prosecutors in what’s known as “Operation Disarm,” an effort by the federal government to curb gun violence in Oakland by going after people found with firearms.
Thus far, the outcomes have varied — some have pleaded guilty and been sentenced to multiple years in prison. Others have received more leniency, like a tattoo artist charged after having a seizure behind the wheel and being caught with a privately manufactured pistol when paramedics were carting him off. He received a 6-month jail term, records show.