Fugitives Escape, Return to La Reforma Penitentiary

TWO inmates sentenced for homicide escaped from La Reforma Penitentiary, in the province of Alajuela, earllier this month, according to Reinaldo Villalobos, assistant director of social adaptation at the Ministry of Justice.

After fleeing on Dec. 17, one of the fugitives, Charleston Hernández, 18, turned himself in at the Judicial Investigation Police (OIJ) office in the province of Heredia the following day, Villalobos said.

He said he regretted his action. I imagine he did not find what he hoped for (outside), or that his family urged him to turn himself in, Villalobos told The Tico Times.

The other escapee, Michael English, 20, was caught later last week in Alajuelita, south of San José. Prison guards noted their absence Saturday at 1:00 a.m. while making their routine rounds.

Hernández, 18, was immediately returned to La Reforma s young adult section to continue serving the remaining five years of his seven-year sentence. Inglish had been completing a 15-year sentence at the young adult section since 2001.

Both fugitives committed the crimes for which they were convicted as minors, Villalobos said.