TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — A Florida man who spent more than 34 years behind bars after being given a hefty sentence for an armed robbery could soon leave prison a free man.

NBC Miami reports Sidney Holmes, 57, is expected to be released from prison after an investigation by the Broward State Attorney’s Office conviction review unit found he had a plausible claim of innocence.

Holmes had been identified as the getaway driver for two men during an armed robbery outside a convenience store in Broward County. The men reportedly held a man and a woman at gunpoint and stole a car.

Holmes was arrested in October 1988. The following year, he was found guilty in a jury trial and sentenced to 400 years in prison.

Holmes, who has claimed his innocence, contacted the conviction review unit in November 2020, and asked them to look at the case.

With the help of the Innocence Project of Florida, the unit investigated the matter and found there was no evidence linking him to the crime, and that a misidentification of his vehicle, an extremely common Oldsmobile, may have contributed to his conviction.

Prosecutors said they don’t believe there was any intentional misconduct by witnesses or law enforcement, noting that the deputies who conducted the initial investigation had expressed shock over Homes’ hefty sentence, and that technology has vastly improved since the crime occurred.

Video: Tampa man Tony Hopps speaks to News Channel 8 after being released from prison 31 years after wrongful conviction.

“We have one rule here at the Broward State Attorney’s Office—do the right thing, always. As prosecutors, our only agenda is to promote public safety in our community and to ensure that justice is served,” Broward State Attorney Harold Pryor said in a statement. “I commend the victims, witnesses, and law enforcement officers for their candor and assistance in reinvestigating a crime that occurred more than 34 years ago.”

Broward Circuit Judge Edward Merrigan signed an order granting a request to overturn Holmes’ conviction and scheduled a court hearing for 2 p.m. Monday to officially dismiss the charge.

Holmes has been moved from the Everglades Correctional Institution to the Broward County Main Jail. He is expected to be released from custody in April, WTVJ reported, citing Department of Corrections records.