1 of 2 escaped inmates from East Bay jail arrested in Vallejo

VALLEJO -- One of two inmates who escaped from the Marsh Creek Detention Facility (MCDF) in Contra Costa County last weekend was arrested Thursday at a Vallejo hotel, according to the county Sheriff's Office.

Gerardo Ramirez-Vera, 33, of Richmond, was found at the hotel around 9:15 a.m. Thursday and was taken to county jail in Martinez after Ramirez-Vera and Jorge Garcia-Escamillia, 28, of Pittsburg were reported missing from the minimum-security facility in Clayton last Sunday morning, sheriff's officials said.

Ramirez-Vera was convicted of weapon, burglary and vandalism charges and was due to be released from the county-run facility in early January 2023, while Garcia-Escamillia was being held on charges of vehicle theft, possession of a stolen vehicle, possession of burglary tools and drug possession, and had court dates still pending, according to the Sheriff's Office.

Both men now face felony charges of escape from a county detention facility and could receive a state prison sentence. The Marsh Creek Detention Facility houses sentenced inmates and those facing lower-level charges who would likely receive a sentence to be served locally rather than in a state prison, sheriff's officials said.

Located at 12000 Marsh Creek Road in Clayton, MCDF is a minimum-security facility that houses sentenced prisoners and those facing lower-level charges that would likely result in a sentence served locally.

An emergency count was conducted when the men went missing and a comprehensive search of the facility and the immediate area was conducted. Local law enforcement agencies were notified and residents in the area were alerted.

Any suspicious subjects can be reported to sheriff's office dispatch at (925) 646-2441.