BEAUMONT, Texas — One escapee is still on the run and three federal inmates have been indicted for escaping in three separate indictments by a federal grand jury on Wednesday.
Juan Covarrubia-Mendiola, 40, is one of the four inmates that escaped on January 12, 2019. He has not been found according to a spokesperson for the U.S. Attorney's Office of the Eastern District of Texas.
Juan Carlos Acuna, 37, of Marietta, Georgia, Clemente Valdez, Jr., 36, of Dallas, and Arnold Troy Clayton, 37, of Fort Worth were indicted on Wednesday for escaping prison.
According to the indictments on Jan. 12, the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office received a call from a citizen near the Bureau of Prison Camp Facility in west Jefferson County reporting they had seen inmates crossing a pasture and getting picked up by a vehicle on Hillebrandt Road according to the release.
A Jefferson County Sheriff’s Deputy pulled over the car, finding two of the escapees inside according to the release. The inmates were taken back to the prison facility by officers according to the release. A third inmate returned to the facility on foot several hours later according to the release.
Acuna was sentenced to 22 years in federal prison in 2006 for possession with intent to distribute over 150 kilos of cocaine according to a news release from the Department of Justice.
Valdez was sentenced to over 17 years in federal prison in 2012 for conspiracy to commit money laundering and conspiracy to distribute cocaine according to the release. Valdez was also convicted of marijuana trafficking in 2003 and served state prison time in North Carolina for that offense according to the release.
Crayton was sentenced to 5 years in federal prison in 2014 for possession with intent to distribute marijuana according to the release. He has prior felony convictions for conspiracy to distribute cocaine and has been in a federal prison facility since 2002 according to the release.
If convicted, the men could face up to five years in in federal prison.
From a Department of Justice news release:
Federal Inmates Indicted for Escaping from Prison
BEAUMONT, Texas – Three federal prison inmates have been indicted for escaping from prison announced U.S. Attorney Joseph D. Brown today.
The three federal inmates were charged with escape in three separate indictments returned by a federal grand jury today.
According to the indictments on Jan. 12, 2019, the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office received a call from a citizen near the Bureau of Prison Camp Facility in west Jefferson County reporting they had witnessed inmates crossing a pasture and getting picked by a vehicle on Hillebrandt Road. A Jefferson County Sheriff’s Deputy pulled over the vehicle shortly afterwards and found two of the escapees inside. The inmates were transported back to the prison facility by law enforcement officers. A third inmate returned to the facility on foot several hours later. Charged in the indictments are:
* Juan Carlos Acuna, 37, of Marietta, Georgia. Acuna was sentenced to 22 years in federal prison in 2006 for possession with intent to distribute over 150 kilos of cocaine.
* Clemente Valdez, Jr., 36, of Dallas. Valdez was sentenced to over 17 years in federal prison in 2012 for conspiracy to commit money laundering and conspiracy to distribute cocaine. Valdez was also convicted of marijuana trafficking in 2003 and served state prison time in North Carolina for that offense.
* Arnold Troy Crayton, 37, of Fort Worth. Crayton was sentenced to 5 years in federal prison in 2014 for possession with intent to distribute marijuana. He has prior felony convictions for conspiracy to distribute cocaine and has been in a federal prison facility since 2002.
If convicted, the defendants each face up to five years in federal prison.
This case is being investigated by the U.S. Bureau of Prisons and Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office and prosecuted by Executive Assistant U.S. Attorney Brit Featherston.
A grand jury indictment is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
