The Pueblo County Sheriff’s Office confirmed to KRDO13 that an inmate, Lucas Brown, escaped from the Pueblo County Jail. Brown, who had been working as a kitchen trustee, fled the detention center after going to throw out the trash. He ran west of 9th Street but was captured 35 minutes later with the help of the Pueblo Police Department.
Brown had worked in the kitchen since March 31st without incident. However, at the time of his escape, he had just two days remaining on his sentence for criminal mischief. Originally sentenced to 90 days, he now faces additional charges, will not be released as scheduled, and is no longer eligible for a trustee role.
KRDO13 Investigates uncovered that Brown had a history of escape attempts, having pleaded guilty to escaping from a court-mandated treatment facility in 2017. He had also faced assault charges against a guard, which were reduced to third-degree assault. Despite this, Brown was given a trustee position, as his sentence was for a misdemeanor.
The Pueblo County Sheriff’s Office stated that inmates with a history of escape can still earn trustee jobs. However, those involving outdoor duties, like the kitchen position, should be restricted for such individuals.
Captain Dawn Ballas acknowledged that Brown’s past should have disqualified him from this particular role. This incident raises questions about how inmates with prior escape records are assigned work duties at the Pueblo County Detention Center.
#Clique, what are your thoughts?
