By DON FLETCHER
News Staff Writer
Two inmates who escaped Friday, January 11, from the Escambia County Sheriff’s Work Release Barracks were back in jail before the weekend was over.
According to a press release issued by Escambia County Sheriff Heath Jackson, the two — Christopher Ladale Pugh and Christopher Blake Moye, both 27 and residents of Brewton — discovered “a design flaw with the building” and were able to make their way out of the facility.
Tracking dogs were brought in, a perimeter was established, and authorities searched for about six hours on Friday before the K-9 units lost the track.
Moye was behind bars on charges of probation violation, two counts of first-degree theft of property and one count of third-degree theft of property. He was spotted Saturday in the Wawbeek community, where he reportedly attempted to burglarize a White Lane home.
Nearly seven hours later, he was taken into custody and placed in the Escambia County Detention Center.
On Sunday, officers from several agencies were dispatched along Interstate 65, where reports had been received of a “suspicious person … wearing only boxer shorts” and later identified as Pugh, who was in jail for violation of probation and one count each of first-degree receiving stolen property and third-degree burglary.
As officers approached, Pugh reportedly told them, “Please take me back to jail,” the sheriff said.
The following agencies participated in the weekend manhunt: deputies from Escambia County (Ala.) and Escambia County (Fla.) sheriff’s offices; tracking dog teams from Alabama Department of Corrections, Century (Fla.) Correctional Institution and Camp 5 Road in Escambia County (Fla); Atmore Police Department; Brewton Police Department; Flomaton Police Department, and U.S. Marshals Service Gulf Coast Regional Fugitive Task Force.
The sheriff, who was sworn in just last week, was appreciative of a “job well done” by the numerous agencies who helped track down the escapees.
“I would like to thank (all the agencies that took part) and our deputies for all of their hard work in getting these two individuals back in custody,” Jackson said. “We couldn’t have done it without their teamwork.”