A Roxbury man was sentenced to 22 years in state prison today after admitting that he robbed and violently raped a woman at the Back Bay MBTA station in 2008, Suffolk County District attorney Daniel F. Conley said.

RICHARD FLOWERS (D.O.B. 2/14/60) pleaded guilty to charges of aggravated rape, assault with intent to rape, kidnapping, and assault and battery. Suffolk Superior Court Judge Carol Ball handed down the sentence recommended by prosecutors: 19 to 22 years in state prison, followed by 15 years of probation. If Flowers reoffends during those 15 years, he could be surrendered and face life in prison.

“His actions were fiendish,” Conley said. “In contrast, the woman he attacked has been heroic. By reporting the attack and cooperating in the prosecution, she’s helped us take a violent and dangerous man off the streets for 20 years or more.”

Had the case proceeded to trial, Assistant District Attorney Tara Burdman of Conley’s Sexual Assault Unit would have introduced evidence and testimony to prove that Flowers first approached the victim, then 25, on the evening of Sept. 5, 2008, as she walked from an Orange Line train toward an exit at Back Bay station.

Evidence would have shown that Flowers produced a gun and robbed the woman of cash, credit cards, and jewelry. After the robbery, the evidence would have demonstrated, Flowers forced her into a corner, beat her repeatedly, and raped her.

During the attack, Flowers placed the gun on the floor. The victim kicked the gun away and ran from the station. She reported the incident to police. As she was transported to a nearby hospital, MBTA Transit Police began to search for the assailant; those efforts were unsuccessful.

In the aftermath of the attack, Transit Police took a detailed statement from the victim and reviewed surveillance footage from the station that depicted a man matching the description she gave. Frames featuring that man were isolated and released to all Transit Police officers and local law enforcement agencies.

The next day, investigators learned that the victim’s credit card had been used fraudulently in an apparent effort to buy jewelry online. The would-be buyer sought to have that jewelry shipped to a Monroe Street address but was unsuccessful because of the discrepancy between the billing and shipping addresses.

Using that information, Transit Police detectives visited the Monroe Street residence and observed the man depicted in the security footage – later identified as Flowers – seated on the front porch. As detectives approached, he fled into the house and remained there for a short time before surrendering to Transit Police and Boston Police.

Anne Kelley-McCarthy was the victim-witness advocate assigned to the case. Flowers was represented by attorney Arnie Lucinda-Stewart.