Authorities in Orange County, Calif., are on the hunt for three men who escaped from a maximum-security prison, and as the search enters its third full day, police are investigating the possibility that the trio's jailbreak may have had assistance from an inside or outside source.
The convicts, identified as Hossein Nayeri, 37, Jonathan Tieu, 20, and Bac Duong, 43, escaped together out of the Central Men's Jail in Santa Ana on Friday. Their was escape was a daring one, including a hidden hole in the wall behind a bed which led to an array of pipes that were part of the prison's plumbing system. After making it through the multiple layers of steel, metal and rebar, they emerged on the roof, and climbed down four stories to freedom using makeshift ropes made out of bedsheets, according to the AFP.
Now on the run, the three are considered armed and highly dangerous, with each of them facing charges ranging from murder to kidnap and torture. Specifically, Tieu had been held on a $1 million bond since Oct. 2013 on charges of murder and attempted murder; Nayeri had been held without since Sept. 2014 on charges of kidnapping, torture, aggravated mayhem and burglary; and Duong had been held without bond since last month on charges of attempted murder, assault with a deadly weapon, shooting at an inhabited dwelling, and being an ex-felon in possession of a firearm, according to the Los Angeles Times.
As the search continues, authorities are considering the possibility that the three may have had some level of assistance in the escape due to the circumstances behind it. First of all, it was determined that the trio escaped at 5:00 a.m., but their actual escape wasn't noticed until 16 hours later when a security conducted a nightly head count, which had been delayed by an hour due to a fight between inmates.
Secondly, in their escape, the trio cut through multiple layers of steel, metal and rebar. The tools required for such a feat would, of course, not be in the hands of any of the inmates, possibly suggesting that the tools were either smuggled in, or given to them directly by a security guard. Furthermore, the three clearly had an intimate level of knowledge about the prison's infrastructure, and managed to not accidentally cut open a steam pipe, once again suggesting that they had help in their escape.
"We're talking about breaching, in some places, significant amounts of steel, rebar and metal," said Lt. Jeff Hallock, according to the Associated Press.
Lastly, the three managed to vanish without a trace while in their orange jumpsuits, either meaning that they had some kind of arrangement on the outside or happen to be champions at hide-and-seek. Regardless of the circumstances however, authorities are faced with the reality of their escape, and have turned to the public for assistance.
"We're in a position where we absolutely need the public's help," Hallock said. "There's people out there that know who these people are, who may have seen them. We're asking for phone calls, whether it's any piece of information you may have."
"We're exhausting every lead that we currently have," he said.
There is a $50,000 reward for information leading to their recapture. Anyone with information is urged to call the hotline at 714-628-7085 or call 911 upon any potential sightings.
