Kimani Washington Sentenced To 16 To 18 Years

The key prosecution witness in the trials of two men charged with killing a toddler and three adults during a drug robbery in Boston in September 2010 has been sentenced to up to 18 years in prison for his role in the crime.

Kimani Washington on Friday apologized to the victim's families before pleading guilty to robbery, carjacking, home invasion and possession with intent to distribute drugs.

Washington admitted participating in the robbery, but said he left the scene before the shootings that left four dead and a fifth victim paralyzed in the city's Mattapan neighborhood.

Washington reached a deal with prosecutors to testify against the other suspects in exchange for a reduced sentence.

Prosecutor Edmond Zabin said that although he was sentenced to the Cedar Junction state prison, Washington will not serve his time in Massachusetts.

"Part of the agreement is that we'd make efforts to have him serve his sentence outside of the commonwealth, given obviously the danger to him of cooperating in a case like this," he said.

Zabin said Washington will also be given credit for the more than two years he has already spent in jail.

Edward Washington, Kimani Washington's cousin, was acquitted. Dwayne Moore was convicted of murder at his second trial.

Suffolk District Attorney Dan Conley said Friday he's glad to see the criminal case come to an end.

"This is the final chapter in one of the most horrific crimes that we've seen in Boston, certainly in my 11 years as district attorney," he said.

With reporting by The Associated Press and the WBUR Newsroom