Search Continues For Escaped Dallas County Inmate
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DALLAS (CBSDFW.COM) - Authorities are still searching for a Dallas County inmate who managed to escape from jail on Wednesday night. Deputies with the Dallas County Sheriff's Office are looking for 24-year-old Edgar Jaquez-Moreno, who was booked into the Lew Sterrett Justice Center four days ago on several charges.
At last check, officials thought that Jaquez-Moreno may have been heading toward the Trinity River bottoms, right behind the jail building near downtown Dallas. He does have family and friends in the area. Police are pursuing those leads.
According to authorities, Jaquez-Moreno may have slipped out of the facility through a loading dock area at around 8:30 p.m. on Wednesday night. He was serving in special 'trustee' role with other low-level offenders who are trusted to do simple tasks like taking out trash.
Jaquez-Moreno was performing one of these tasks with a guard when he took off. The guard saw what was happening, but was unable to go after Jaquez-Moreno because other inmates needed to remain secured.
The jail has accidentally let inmates go in the past through clerical errors. That was not the case this time.
Jaquez-Moreno was booked into jail Sunday on charges of burglary of a vehicle, unauthorized use of a vehicle and giving false information -- all misdemeanors. Now, after escaping from jail, he is facing a felony charge. His bond had been set at $2,000. But he was also under an immigration hold for reportedly being in the country illegally.
The man has been arrested before, but was able to bond out because the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent at the jail had failed to notice his status.
All of Jaquez-Moreno's offenses have been non-violent, so officials do not believe that he is armed. Still, anyone who might see him is urged to contact the authorities immediately.