Inmates had 5-inch wide hole before caught in attempted escape
Published: July 2, 2009
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share thisInmates used disassembled bed frames and eating utensils to attempt their escape from a cell at Lackawanna County Prison last month, according to reports from county detectives.
The district attorney's office filed criminal attempt and criminal conspiracy charges against Daniel Knott, 21, of Scranton, and Michael Sekelsky, 18, of Dickson City.
Both men waived their preliminary hearings and remain in Lackawanna County Prison on prior charges.
Over a two-night period in early June, the inmates created a hole around the cell window 5 inches long by removing the caulking and digging a hole through cinderblock using pieces of their bed frames and utensils, according to an affidavit of probable cause.
The inmates, in statements given to county detectives, admitted to the attempted escape and said they were caught because they were smoking a cigarette in the cell.
Corrections officers searched the cell after an officer smelled tobacco smoke.
Mr. Knott told police had they escaped the building, they planned to "get over the wall by putting their backs against one wall and their feet against the other wall and climb up," according to the report.
Efforts to reach Warden Janine Donate and county detectives for their comments were unsuccessful Wednesday.
Contact the writer: cschillinger@ timesshamrock.com
6 posted comments
The Prison Dog that is trained to "Listen" and "Smell" and has a built in "Sense Detector". They are less costly than a prison corrections officer. They are hard to be fooled. They are easily trained to pick out and point out unusual situations, (Like Digging, and Scraping...plus smoking)
Tell that to the Head Lackie in control! ( Worth L@@King into )
How quick the prisoners will learn that even if they were given saws, and tools.....they would be useless against a "Dogs Senses."