The inmates who escaped a Kansas jail are considered armed and dangerous, Kansas law enforcement officials say.
Four prisoners, including a man convicted of double murder, escaped from a central Kansas jail before dawn on Wednesday, authorities said.
One was quickly apprehended, and another was caught at 5:30 p.m. The other two, including the convicted murderer, remain at large, the Kansas City Star reported.
The men, described as "armed and dangerous," escaped from the Ottawa County Jail, where they were being kept as prisoners of the Kansas Department of Corrections, said Jeremy Barclay, department spokesman.
The two men who remain at large are Santos M. Carrera-Morales, 22, who was convicted on two counts of first-degree murder, and Eric Jerome James, 22, who was convicted of kidnapping in commission of a crime, three charges of aggravated burglary and criminal damage to property, the Kansas City Star reported.
Drew Edward Wade, 21, convicted of aggravated battery and attempted robbery, was caught early Wednesday evening.
The inmates had been transferred to the jail because of overcrowding at the state prison, The Associated Press reported.

Kansas Department Of Corrections / AP
Eric James, 22, Santos Carrera-Morales, 22, and Drew Wade, 21, three of four people who broke out of the Ottawa County Jail in Minneapolis, Kan. on Wednesday morning. Wade was caught; Carrera-Morales and James remain at large. A fourth inmate was captured soon after the escape.
Barclay said details of the escape were being investigated and that no staff were seriously hurt in the incident. The inmates overpowered guards with homemade knives after complaining about a broken water pipe in their cell.
North Ottawa County schools superintendent Larry Combs called off classes Wednesday out of an abundance of caution, according to The Associated Press.
"We're a small town," Combs said. "The kids in the country would probably be fine, but if the escapees were on the streets and we have 300 kids who walk to school on a nice spring day, I felt it was in the best interest of the kids to keep them out of schools today so they're not a target.
"This was one of those decisions that's not on the books," he added. "We have crisis plans for almost all situations, but a jailbreak is not on that list."
The public should contact the Department of Corrections with any sightings or other information on the three men. They may be in a multiple-colored Nissan automobile, Barclay said.
Anyone with information on the escapees are asked to call authorities at 1-800-572-7463 or 785-472-5501.
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a picture might help MSNBC...
So might a listing of what colors the vehicle is.
the big...
Are you kidding.
A picture??
And detract from the Martin/Zimmerman theme??
why does everyone seem to compare every news story to the zimmerman case. enough already. and to the person below, its not breaking news, they escaped before dawn this morning.
if a convict escapes from the suffolk jail in boston, they best be telling me what they look like so I can keep an eye out for the murderer running around.
and perhaps they do have pictures in the town where it happened. but for the purpose of this article, I don't think it would be too outrageous to expect a picture of an escaped convict looking to be caught, esp when the news article is asking people to call in tips if they see them....
What does anyone need of a picture half way across the country? there photos were all over the local media.
rscalzo
"and perhaps they do have pictures in the town where it happened. but for the purpose of this article, I don't think it would be too outrageous to expect a picture of an escaped convict looking to be caught, esp when the news article is asking people to call in tips if they see them"
Scalzo, in the event they were on foot, I can see the media only necessitating broadcasting pictures for the neighboring towns, especially when it's been less than 24 hours in which case I completely agree with you.
Where your statement loses all sense is the fact that the article states that they may have a vehicle. Assuming they've been on the run with a car for about 12 hours, do you think they could have made it out of the range of the local media by now? I'd bet they could... Thus, pictures of the inmates could help warn the rest of the country, as well as border patrol for Canada and Mexico.
Does anybody think a picture might help? At least some quality descriptions, even a childs scketch would be better than this. Who are these people who put out these stories with no pics, decriptions etc...???
I'm sure all you people upset about not getting a picture are bounty hunters who are going after these guys....RIGHT!!
Of course, you'd have to get off your computer chair and go outside. Um, maybe tomorrow......
http://www.kansas.com/2012/04/18/2301607/officials-search-for-three-escaped.html here's the pics and more..
Rumor has it they made their getaway while the guards were busy with $30 dollar Colombian prostitutes. Information is still coming in though.
Why is it that the RARE ESCAPE of violent predators is headline news, but the daily LEGAL RELEASE of them, in most cases to make room for non-violent drug offenders, isn't ?? The real story is that they were moved to a less secure facility, most likely due to overcrowding from the failed "war on drugs".
Best wishes to Kansas Law Enforcement officials in catching these three obviously very dangerous individuals.
another great reason for speedy capital punishment start with the murderer that escaped when he is cought just to show people we are sick of using money that could go towards education but is happily used on these waste of breath convicts support correct law enforcement
Don't know who to watch out for, need some pictures to see who we are watching out for.
@xrayspex,
You and others need to do your research. I'd love to see you present some solid data on the number of people released from prisons to make room for "non-violent drug offenders". They don't toss killers and robbers out of prison for drug addicts. Go research it first before you spout nonsense on the internet.
If this country could only get back to some common sense and build more prisons then this would have never happened in the first place, the jail would have been full of fresh stock ripe for prison, which could justify building even MORE prisons which could then translate to building more jails to house even more fresh prison fodder which could then be busy educating the next wave of prisoners who children will surely populate the new jails for holding bodies for even more new prisons that will be under construction at the next prison expansion jubilee fest!!! It will be like a little slice of heaven this USA will be!!!
J. Shields the article says they were placed in the County Jail due to overcrowding. Here is that research for you. And it is just directly drug related. What it does not say is who was high when they committed Murder or a robbery.
Approximate number of people incarcerated for drug related crimes:
Let's expand a bit by putting it into perspective, and that means understanding how many total people are incarcerated for all crimes:
So that means around half of all inmates in federal prisons are there for drugs, around 20% of inmates nationwide in state prisons are there for drugs and around 18% of inmates in California state prisons are there for drugs.
so the poster you were attempting to correct is right. They are having to make room due to Drug related offenses. Mostly non violent Crimes. But some do get out on early Parole due to overcrowding.
And if the escaped murderer had been executed by hanging in public, with those from juvinile detention forced to watch what they were headed for, noone in the community would have to fear what an escaped MURDERER may do.
Bigpicture
I'm seeing the pictures of three of them in the article. Were they added after you posted?
Typical for MSNBC by the way and doesn't surprise me.
yeah they were posted after. I did comment on this right after the article was put on MSNBC. I probably should have waited before jumping on them, but still.
@BigPicture
The reason everyone wants to bring Zimmerman or Trayvon into a story that has nothing to do with the two is because they're literally stupid.They're all thinking everything that happens is their fault.
bigpicture..thanks
No worries. No reason to wait either. When they ran with the article it would have been real simple to tell the reader (us) that pictures would follow.
MS-imbicile (MSNBC) draws from the same news pools as everyone else, they just put their own slant on it. Would be nice if they put a little thought into them before posting.
My question is this! if these men where so dangerous why did they transport them to an minimum security jail where the risk of escape is very high? Why didn't they transport them to another state prison where they could NOT escape?
FYI, BTW, or for those who wanted to know.
Ottawa County. Where this county jail is located. Consists of 720 square miles and roughly 6,200 residents.(8.6 people per square mile) with 2032 of them living in Minneapolis, Kansas. Where the jail is located. For comparison, New York City has a land mass of 302 sq. miles and 8.2 million people.
Can we say, PODUNK?
These guys are either going to stick out like a turd in a punch bowl, or they will be holed up in some farm house doing whatever they please to the family living there until they can make a move.
It's a bad situation.
Another tid-bit of info.
We all know prison's are BIG business in the United States.It doesn't matter if they are federally funded, or State funded, a lot of our money goes to housing criminals. BIG business in a sense of actually having lobbyists in D.C. pushing their cause.
Laws, statutes, penalties, even the SIZE or number of beds in a prison, are all of the things these guys push.
We all know what happens when prisons and jails are overcrowded. Sentences get reduced, early release, and so on.
Another thing many are not aware of is, Federally and State funded prisons(many of which are private business's) can solicit housing from local municipalities in order to reduce their numbers. They house them in County jails, City jails, at the fairgrounds, or schools that have been closed, while still receiving criminals through the front door. And the MONEY that comes with them.
Example: Fed Funded prison gets $ 51,328.00 per year to house a criminal. Podunk county Kansas can do it for $ 33,000 and change, with money left over to remodel the Mayors office. Federal prison (private Contractor) solicits the county for a slot, everyone makes money and no one is the wiser.
Sucks huh?
The the hell are people talking about there was pictures of all three of them in the article that I just read.
MSNBC articles often are teasers meant to get your interest - they are not intended to give blow by blow details with final results. A teaser requires you the reader to search further on your own, if you really are that interested. Many of us just skim longer articles so we can get a general idea of the subject, if we read every article from start to finish - we would be on the Internet all day.
Since people already have opinions on most subjects - they don't need to know if the car was green or blue in order to have an opinion on escaped convicts.
Come back when you get a clue on how MSNBC operates - judging by its popularity - I doubt MSNBC or other major web sites plan on changing their formula just because of your wants. I like MSNBC just the way it is - so - love it or leave it... hahaha. We won't miss you and your self importance.
One "Dog the Bounty Hunter" is one too many.
Enough of the MSNBC bashing, why do folks come on here complaining about this site, aren't there other sites to find the news. I guess disgruntle faux news workers are looking for a day job posting about MSNBC. OF course the picture will follow, once it is release to media.
The real sad thing about this article is every last one of the prisoners look young as hell. They are all in the early twenties, and the represent each race of the America populace except for asians. We are failing our kids folks, crime is the only means to escape, their abject poverty. Yes, I am a bleeding heart lib when it comes to the kids of America.
I wish we could have every kid once they have turned 18yrs. old join the military or peace corp, until 21 yrs. old unless they sign up for college which would be provided free of charge to anyone whom receives a 3.0 gpa or better. Our kids are our future, and if we don't lay the ground work for them this country will not have a future. With that said, unfortunately for the Morales kid who took two lives, he should have already been sitting on death row for his HATE CRIME (any type of Killing to me is a HATE CRIME).
With all that said, instead of voting for someone like Wromey who wants to cut education funding, we must vote in a congress that will focus their energy on providing more education for future Americans! Listen folks we have dropped the ball, the bigots are creating division Bill O'fouly, Ted Juggernot, Al Shameful, and Jesse Jackass. TO all decent folks, we must step up to plate and bat everyone who gets in our way, out of the way. To secure the US a dominant position in the world.
MSNBC is probably beside themselves since they are hispanic, black, and white suspects. Their heads are probably exploding not knowing what race angle to run with this. Potential comedy gold
@myspellcheckerisbroken, more like the racist posters heads are exploding for not being able to ted nugget this article. MSNBC prints the news racist folks misinterpret the news ergo the spin game is on. I hate to say is this what MLK meant by people of races working as one. Something is wrong with this picture.
@Marvin, you are right. Put both of them together and you will have the perfect storm of the never ending thread of folks trying to "out-racist" each other
It's breaking news. I would imagine that in time we will see photos of the escaped men and possibly a photo of the suspected vehicle. Seems kind of odd that closing a school in the midst of a jailbreak would be part of the crisis plan but at least they closed the school as one of the escapees has charges of kidnapping during a crime. I sure hope they catch these guys quickly.....dead or alive I am not partial.
With a jail near town, officials had crisis plans for every situation, except a jail escape?!!!!
I am confused as to why you move a convicted murderer to a county jail because of overcrowding. If anything you move someone who needs less security. This was a tragedy in the making.
Overcrowding of state prisons is a problem in most states. I have to think, however, that there are plenty of non-violent (or at least non-murdering) people that could get moved to county. That way, the murderers get the bunks of the lesser criminals that left. But ship a convicted murderer to county jail? They were asking for trouble and they got it.
Sorry G-Man. Some of those people in the overcrowded jails may owe parking fines, and God forbid you let them get away. I have never used drugs, but wouldn't it make more sense to transfer a pot user or forger instead of murderers? Maybe I am wrong and their way is better
I believe the prison transferred these guys because they were troublemakers. Prison officials weren't trying to make things easy for the jail, they were trying to take advantage of an opportunity to make things easier on themselves. They kept the potheads who shouldn't be locked up at all, because they're easy to handle and transferred the most dangerous and violent offenders to the jail.
So the killer has already murdered two people and is out and "armed and dangerous". These people are predators just cruising for their next opportunity to rob, kidnap, and kill. When they are captured, a new sentence of something more permenant then more prison time should be considered.
You can't be executed for escaping prison. If Kansas wanted this guy dead, he'd still be in state prison on death row. Instead, they sent him to a place that's much easier to escape from.
With a little luck, maybe he'll be shot by police while resisting arrest.
50 foot of 3/4 hemp rope $12.99 ace hardware vs 51k + $ a year to house CONVICTED murderers. Now why is this country so deep in debt?
what i want to know is if there were an over crowding problem at the prison, why in god's name would they then chose to transfer violent convicts?
would you not think they would have re-housed prisoners who were convicted on non-violent crimes? but hell no, they put a double murderer in a small town jail.
what the hell were these people thinking? and i want to know who is going to get fired over such a stupid, idiotic move as this?
Now, you know why I advocate the death penalty (in murder cases), and one that can be executed promptly, without it being dragged out for years on end with appeals. One can escape. One can accidentally be released. One can be pardoned without real evidence to back it up (for instance, a key eyewitness might die). A person that has commited murder has NOTHING TO LOSE! Killing someonelse means nothing to a killer. The right to a swift trial, and execution of the sentence given is NOT only the right of the accused, it is also the right of the victim(s)/families/friends. Somehow our court system has lost sight of this FACT!
What happens when the convicted is innocent, as in many cases? Too bad for them and their families? Any unless you are a killer yourself, how do you know what they think? You are just a scared little rabbit.
They had a fair trial and were found guilty, too bad. I could care less about their families, they didn't care about them when they committed the crimes so why should I? You must be a criminal if you are more worried about them than their victims and families. The innocent don't escape, you've been watching the Fugitive too much.
Unfortunately, they've also lost sight of how to always make sure that the convicted person is the actual criminal. If this country could go five years without a state killing an innocent person, I'll go back to advocating the death penalty. Do a google on "wrongly convicted in Kansas", then come back and talk.
@rollingthunder first. If you commit the ultimate sin by killing another human you have done the worst thing on earth that any human could imagine, therefore killing someonelse means nothing. In some cases the accused is innocent, and in most other cases the accused confesses/pleads guilty. The later type of killer deserves a quick execution of sentence. I would prefer the death penalty just to eliminate the possiblity of escape or accidentally being released. Ask Geroge Bundy how much fun he had killing several more young females after his escape. Oh that's right. You can't. HES DEAD!!!!!
@Dave. I think my post to rollingthunder above gives a clear picture of what I feel about accused murderers. Any person who kills another human and confesses to his guilt should get the death penalty quickly executed. Look at that murderer in Norway, he told the world he 'would do it all again'. Why isn't he DEAD!! As long as he is alive, he still has a chance of escape, and the victims families having to hear or see this animal is like torture!
Demetrios, Yeah, I'd like to see all murderers executed too. However, we have to keep one thing in mind and it's a fact. A lof of individuals who have been found guilty of murder are actually innocent. DNA has removed many a man from a life sentence or death row. Now if we knew with 100% certainty that a person charged with murder committed the crime--if there's absolutely no doubt then I say give em the chair or an injection. Life is not that simple and clear cut tho. Let me say something up front, I support law enforcement 100%. BUT we also know that a lot of times the police put so much pressure on suspects that a suspect (possibly individuals with weak minds) will often plead guilty to the charge since the police wore them down. This same individual was cleared by dna later. I do think that we need to find some other way to deal with drug users. As long as they're not stealing or robbing or committing violent crimes.
We're a state over along I-70 and not getting the local news pics. Do you think MSNBC could put up pictures? Hello?
It would have been nice to have the escapees stop & pose for pictures huh?
Jim,
Dont you think Tori might be talking about mug shots. huh?
They have their pictures on "mugs"? Good grief that wasn't smart of them!
A local killer got caught, when the cops matched a shot from a security cam to his facebook page and found out where he worked and when.
The New Black Panthers will certainly help to hide the escapees hoping for future recruits. Al and Jessie will be holding rallies and protests for the rights of certain escapees. Obama will say which escapee his son might have looked liked and all will be well...........................................
Wow, Tad, that's the least veiled racism I've seen in a wrong time outside Stormfront. Bravo, you're on the fast tracl to be the next Republican presidential candidate.
Better call Jessy and Sharpton....they got a lot of work to do in this one.
WTH do they have to do with THIS?
Shoot on site and post a wanted Dead or Alive on the internet. I am sure the New Black Pnther party will pay if they are White
Way to be proactive in protecting the community! How the HELL are we supposed to know what these people look like? Mugshots would be nice!
maybe if you didn't waste your time on the vine and turned to your local news your answer may be there!
Hello.... Can we have pictures?????
looking for a new pen pal?
I'm no expert in corrections, but maybe they can transfer, oh I don't know, maybe a guy who sold a pound of weed or cheated his taxes, from the prison to the jail instead of VIOLENT FELONS?!?!
Big Al
I totally agree. The one thing people seem to be missing here is that they sent these prisoners from the State facility to a small town jail! Did the corrections department use a dart to pick these three violent convicts? What kind of moronic system would take these three over someone who was a small time petty crook? This reeks of stupidity and lack of any common sense. I would like to see what other transfers have been performed. Maybe they have a serial rapist or mass murderer that is in someone elses small town jail!
Why are you people bring up Al Sharpton. This is no where near the zimmerman case the people just wanted an arrest and they got one. this lady as been arrested there 's no need for Al Sharpton. get a life
"....you people"? Only one person, well you make the second, has brought up Sharpton. A little sensitive?
Sounds to me like hunting season arrived early in Kansas this year.
Get a bunch of country boys rifled up in their trucks, and those escapees will HOPE the police find them first.
While the good old boys are on their hunting spree, tell them to target the governor of Kansas too and most of the rest of the backwards state. Is there anywhere more worthless than Kansas? Oh yeah, Oklahoma.
Rolling Thunder your a deep thinker, Worthless as Kansas? Do you mean the state that feeds 20 per cent of all Americans? Or do you mean the state that educates their children that score in the top 3 each year in SAT and ACT scores. Living here gives me the chance to do anything that any big city offers, professional sports, musicals, concerts anything any other city offers. Please keep your little candy behind away and hopefully your grandmother lets you live in her basement for many years to come. Keep your crime and your little snotty comments to yourself and think there is someone here in Kansas that would love to talk to you face to face about the hell that we live in here.
how much for a kansas convict hunting lic.? what is the bag limit?
these escapes .should run or leave the country.and i dont see what the school has to do with it.if someone whants to hurt kids.there are many schools out there.so does that mean to shut all schools down.how ignert officials can be.i hope these escapes never get cought.i would party with them.so would my friends.
Illinois
In Charlotte, NC, they just put an electric tether on them and turn them loose. The criminals then just cut off their tethers and leave - you see the Charlotte authorities are just ever so much more accommodating than the authorities in Kansas!
Pics of the escaped convicts. Took a bit of searching, but found it.
KMBC-TV
Sorry, try this link.
Please? How can they post this article when there's still the Trayvon/Martin thing and the panther reward hanging in the wind?
It's a diversity jail break a b la ck, a w h i t e, and a m e x i c a n.
Release Toto! He tracked Dorothy down, I'm sure he could do the same with these stinkin' criminals!
I hope they are caught with no damage done to any innocent person.
Go to www.salinapost.com to see pictures
say thx 2 all the bleeding hearts..........u commit a crime ---jail is 2 full----tuff luck.............sleep on floor
Sounds good but overcrowding in prison posts a danger for the guards. My brother works in Corrections and guards are not armed with guns-too dangerous.