Prosecutors say a Roxbury man kidnapped a Rhode Island victim at gunpoint and asked if they wanted to die “here or in Boston.”
Story Snapshot
- Federal prosecutors charged Dominic Hampton-Boyd with kidnapping and gun crimes.
- Police say he assaulted a pregnant victim in Rhode Island and forced them into a car.
- Troopers pursued the SUV on Interstate 93 before a crash and arrest followed.
- The interstate trip triggered federal kidnapping law and attention from multiple agencies.
Prosecutors Outline A Violent Abduction And A Highway Chase
The United States Attorney’s Office in Massachusetts charged Dominic Hampton-Boyd, 31, with kidnapping and being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition.
Prosecutors say he entered a Rhode Island home without permission, struck a pregnant victim with a pistol, choked them, and forced them into a vehicle.
During the ordeal, he allegedly asked if they wanted to “die here or in Boston”. Police say the vehicle headed north, setting up a pursuit that soon spilled onto Interstate 93.
Massachusetts State Police responded to reports of a hostage in an SUV on Interstate 93 during the morning rush. Troopers moved to stop the vehicle as it weaved through traffic. The driver hit multiple cars before crashing.
Officers moved in, recovered a gun, and arrested the suspect at the scene. Local coverage showed the battered vehicles and heavy police response that followed the pursuit and crash. Court officers later held Hampton-Boyd without bail in a related state case.
Why Federal Charges Landed Fast
Crossing a state line is the hinge in most federal kidnapping cases. Congress wrote the law to reach kidnappers who move victims from one state to another, and the Supreme Court has recognized that core purpose for decades.
Prosecutors do not need a long timeline to make the point. They need proof of seizure and transport. When police see a victim held in a moving car, with a gun, across state borders, the case fits a well worn federal path.
Kidnapping cases that mix guns, car travel, and threats often come bundled with more counts. Past federal prosecutions have paired kidnapping with hostage-taking or carjacking when force and movement overlap, and courts have treated firearm use during such crimes as a violent offense that stacks penalties.
That history explains why federal and state teams moved quickly once the Rhode Island start and the Massachusetts chase lined up on the map.
The Alleged Threat Raises The Stakes
Prosecutors highlighted the “die here or in Boston” line for a reason. Jurors and judges look at threats to measure control, fear, and intent. A plain death threat while moving a victim supports the kidnapping theory because it shows force and the will to keep control.
Media often seize on a quote like that because it cuts through jargon and shows the raw danger at play in the car that day. That also explains the intense on-road police response.
🚨An #FBI Boston Violent Crimes Task Force investigation has led to the arrest of Dominic Hampton-Boyd, of Roxbury, MA, for kidnapping & being a felon in possession of a firearm & ammunition. He allegedly kidnapped a victim at gunpoint in Rhode Island & drove the victim across… pic.twitter.com/P70Sf00Onn
— FBI Boston (@FBIBoston) September 28, 2026
Police, federal agents, and prosecutors tend to lock arms on cases like this. The path from a Rhode Island apartment to a Boston highway made that easy. State officers see a fleeing vehicle and a victim.
Federal prosecutors see interstate transport and a gun with a prohibited possessor. Each part builds the other. That unified picture brings quick custody, strong charging papers, and a tight narrative for court and for the public.
What Comes Next In Court
The federal complaint sets the frame, but a jury will decide guilt if the case goes to trial. The defense can test each part: the entry into the home, the force used, the movement across the state line, and the gun’s status.
Prosecutors will lean on the timeline, the victim’s account, patrol reports, crash footage, and the firearm recovery. Federal kidnapping carries heavy penalties, and the gun charge adds more risk if a prior felony record is proven.
Sources:
boston.com, wpri.com, justice.gov, cbsnews.com, riag.ri.gov, yahoo.com, law.cornell.edu
