Clovis, New Mexico Jail Break - Jail Break - Additional Arrests

Additional Arrests

Authorities determined the escape plan was too elaborate for the inmates to have carried it out by themselves and felt it would require help from both inside and outside the jail. Investigators began looking into both the inmates and whether any jail staff had a hand in the escapes; in particular, investigations focused on how the inmates gained access to the locked pod doors. Based on surveillance footage of the second floor pod, policed charged Kolek, Lopez, Crane and Jones with three counts each of assisting escape and three counts each of harboring or aiding a felon for their alleged assistance in the escape. Police said they expected additional arrests as the investigation continues.

District Attorney Matthew Chandler stressed anyone assisting the fugitives would face criminal charges: "They're receiving some type of assistance. We want to make it loud and clear today that anyone that assists these fugitives will be held accountable." Isodoro "Lolo" Salas, father of fugitive Edward Salas, was arrested after authorities said he refused to cooperate with investigators; Isodoro, an Albuquerque resident, was charged with obstruction of justice, a probation violation and resisting or obstruction of an officer. Asha Currey, of Clovis, the mother of escapee Michael England's child, was also arrested.

Sometime after the jailbreak, England's eight-year-old son told his elementary school guidance counselor he had seen his father at his grandmother's house. The boy was interviewed by child forensic specialists, and told them he saw both England and McClendon speak to his grandmother, Hester England, and that England asked him to hand over a Wal-Mart bag so he could pack some clothes. During an initial August 25 interview with Hester England, the Clovis resident denied knowing anything about the escape or the whereabouts of any escapees. She was interviewed again on August 27 and repeated the claims, and even said she would go to the news to ask her son to contact her. She did so, telling the media, "This is involving our whole family. Please turn yourself in. I'll be there for you no matter what. Call me night and day, I'm there for you."

After her media statement, Hester England was interviewed again and told of her grandson's confession. She then confessed that she previously lied to officers and had in fact seen the two men. Hester claimed she heard Asha Currey talking with two men outside Hester's home, and said she came outside to find England and McClendon. Hester said she knew they escaped from jail because "it was obvious." She claimed she told them to turn themselves in, but England said he was not going back to jail. He gathered clothes from the house and left. Hester said she did not tell police because she loved her son, but admitted she should have told them about McClendon, who she knew was charged with murder.

On August 28, England was arrested on charges of harboring or aiding a felon and obstructing an officer, and was released on a $6,000 bond. Hester England and Asha Currey both face up to 12 years in prison. Tiffany Wallace, McClendon's 18-year-old girlfriend, said she had a dresser drawer full of McClendon's clothing in her bedroom, but that it was gone now. She expects McClendon took them, but she denied having seen him. Wallace was not charged with any crimes.