Appetite for trouble: Inmate Joshua Hansen, 25, has been caught trying to smuggle food, alcohol and snacks back into a federal prison after escaping to pick up the treats
A Texas inmate’s craving for home-cooked food has landed him in a lot of trouble when officials say he was caught on Wednesday sneaking back into a federal prison, after breaking out to pick up his favorite treats.
According to the Jefferson County Sheriff’s office, deputies have been tipped off that inmates were escaping from the federal prison in Beaumont and crossing onto private land owned by a local cattle rancher, where they would collect contraband and smuggle it back into lockup.
The sheriff’s narcotics investigators and the US Marshals set up surveillance shortly before 6pm on Wednesday and observed a vehicle driving onto the rancher’s private property and dropping off a large duffle bag.
At around 7.30pm, according to a statement from the sheriff’s office, an inmate was spotted darting from the prison grounds on Knauth Road and grabbing the bag.
Snack attack: Hansen was arrested by deputies in Beaumont, Texas, while carrying a duffel bag packed with BBQ sausage, fried chicken and side dishes
Bottom’s up! To wash it all down with, Hansen also had procured three bottles of brandy and a bottle of whiskey
That’s no Alcatraz: Hansen had allegedly walked out of the federal prison in Beaumont, Texas, where such incidents are said to be commonplace
As the fugitive, identified as 25-year-old Joshua Hansen, was making his way back into the correctional facility with the goods in tow, deputies arrested him.
The sheriff’s office said the duffel bag contained a large quantity of home-cooked food, including barbecued chicken sausage, fried chicken and side-dishes, as well as thee bottles of Martell brandy; one bottle of Crown Royal whiskey; dozens of bags of Bugler-brand tobacco, salty snacks, nuts and fruit.
The bag also contained more than 30 grams of marijuana, according to officials.
The ravenous escapee was serving time on narcotics charges. Following his arrest this week, Hansen, form Dallas, was booked into the Jefferson County Jail on additional counts of escape and possession of marijuana.
The 25-year-old also had a federal hold placed on him.
Jefferson County Sheriff’s Deputy Marcus McLellan has revealed to the Beaumont Enterprise that Hansen’s brazen snack run was not a singular incident at the prison; according to the deputy, non-violent offenders and inmates on work release have been known to walk out of the facility to procure contraband ‘pretty much since Day 1.’
Finishing touch: Beside food and drink, deputies also confiscated dozens of packs of Bugler-brand tobacco and marijuana from the inmate
Hansen, who has been serving time on drug charges, has been arrested on counts of escape and marijuana possession
McLellan said the sheriff’s office is now working with other agencies to crack down on this practice, which raises public safety concerns.
Michael Latta, who owns the ranch next door to the federal prison complex, told the station KFDM that he has been dealing with escapees for 18 years.
He has appealed for help to elected officials and prison wardens, but the convicts continued using his ranch as a pickup point for smuggled goods. Latta said that he has personally caught 15 escapees at gunpoint.
‘Taxpayer dollars are being used to keep them in there, it’s amazing to me that they can just walk out of there whenever they want’, said Latta.