A 33-year-old inmate housed at the LeFlore County Detention Center enjoyed about four hours of freedom on Wednesday after taking advantage of his trustee status, climbing over a fence and through barbed wire to take flight to his girlfriend’s residence.
James Woodward, who jumped the fence just after 5 a.m. was awaiting a move to a state prison on various theft charges when he decided to go on the lam Wednesday.
Now he faces additional time in prison, as well as having involved his girlfriend and her landlord into the fray as well.
The girlfriend, identified as Karcia Akres, was heard on recordings of a jailhouse telephone call plotting with Woodward about the escape. She now faces charges of aiding the escape.
The landlord, identified as Paul Ford, initially lied to investigators about Woodward being in the residence and he was taken into custody for harboring a fugitive.
After the escape officials listened to a recording of a call between Woodward and Akres which they were able to trace to a Myra Lane address in Poteau.
Woodward was located in the home hiding behind a stove and taken into custody without incident.
He now faces escape charges in addition to his original sentencing on the theft charges.
