OAN Roy Francis
UPDATED 12:21 PM PT – Thursday, January 19, 2023
A manhunt is officially underway in Missouri for five escaped inmates on Thursday.
The five escaped inmates, including three that authorities describe as “known sex offenders”, had broken out of the county’s detention center in Farmington.
The breakout started around 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday evening when the group of inmates had entered a secured cell and then “made their way through a secured door by use of force.” From the secured room, it is believed that the inmates got onto the jail’s roof through the plumbing corridors. From there, they climbed down to the grounds and made their way out of the area.
The sheriff’s department said that the inmates had stolen a grey 2009 Scion TC with Missouri tags from the parking lot of a nearby healthcare business. They were last seen “traveling in a southerly direction.”
“All inmates were being held on felony charges. Three inmates, LuJuan Tucker, Aaron Sebastian and Kelly McSean — AKA: Larry Bemboom — are known sex offenders being held for crimes committed while confined in the Missouri Department of Corrections Sexual Offender Treatment Center,” the sheriff’s department said. “Dakota Pace and Michael Wilkins were being held on felony warrants.”
According to investigators, the inmates changed from their orange prison clothes and were observed on camera “wearing white thermal leggings, white boxer and/or basketball shorts and white t-shirts,” while “Tucker was wearing a black t-shirt.”
The Missouri State Highway Patrol and the United States Marshal’s Service are assisting the St. Francois County Sheriff’s Department in the investigation. They are offering over $5,000 for information leading to the capture of the inmates.
The Marshal’s Service has described the inmates as “dangerous” and has warned anyone who sees them to keep their distance and call 911 immediately.