Escaped prisoner captured while dressed as woman; 1 still on the run
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - One of two inmates who escaped from a Philadelphia correctional center is back in custody Friday morning, after being captured while dressed as a woman, according to federal authorities.
Nasir Grant, 24, was arrested late Thursday night by the U.S. Marshal Service. A 21-year-old woman is also behind bars and is charged with allegedly helping the two men escape.
Meanwhile, the manhunt continues for the second escaped inmate, 18-year-old Ameen Hurst, who is considered the more dangerous of the two.
Officials said Grant, who was originally in custody for drug and gun charges, was arrested around 10:30 p.m. Thursday night by members of their fugitive task force.
After doing some surveillance in North Philadelphia, authorities said Grant emerged from a home he was known to frequent, wearing full female Muslim garb and a head covering.
They followed him to the 2800 block of West Dauphin Street, where they pulled him over and took him into custody without any incident.
"I like to think that the way we tactically make arrests around vehicles, that we had the element of surprise. I believe he was thoroughly surprised, he submitted to our commands and it was pretty much an uneventful arrest, which is the way we like it," said U.S. Marshal supervisor, Deputy Marshal Robert Clark.
As for the second escaped inmate, officials said they are working around the clock to track Hurst down, who is charged in connection with four murders.
They say they will not stop until he's back behind bars, adding that anyone who helps him remain on the run will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.
A $25,000 reward is being offered for information that leads to Hurst's arrest. He is described as 6'0 and weighing 140 pounds.
The two men were seen on security cameras breaking out of the facility after cutting a hole in a fence Sunday night. Despite appearing to be accounted for during multiple headcounts, officials said they were unaware of the escape until Monday afternoon.
The Department of Prisons says they are reviewing security tapes, staff assignments, and visitor logs from before, during and after the escape but that that will take days to complete.
U.S. Marshal have also arrested 21-year-old Xianni Stalling, who is accused of helping Grant and Hurst escape. She was taken into custody Wednesday morning, not far from where officials later found Grant.
"She also had a warrant for escape, and I believe conspiracy," Deputy Marshal Clark said. "She was taken into custody without incident after we located her walking down the 2800 block of North 22nd Street."
Police haven't said how Stalling helped the two inmates escape, but they believe she received a phone call from one of them before they broke out.
Stalling was arrested last year for a domestic violence incident involving a relative, but she was later released and the charges were dropped due to a lack of evidence, according to the Philadelphia District Attorney's Office.
Her preliminary hearing is scheduled for May 30. Stalling is being represented by the Philadelphia Defenders Association, which had no comment. She's being held on $500,000 bail.
Grant's bail has been set at $10 million. His next court appearance is scheduled for May 30 at 11 a.m.
Anyone with information about Hurst's whereabouts is asked to call Northeast Detectives at 215-686-3153, 215-686-TIPS (8477) or 911. You can also call the U.S. Marshal Service at 1-800-336-0102 or send information to usmarshals.gov/tips.
