ALLEN COUNTY, OH (WLIO) - A former Allen-Oakwood Correctional Institution inmate who escaped last year will be serving eight more years in prison for the incident.
48-year-old James Lee pleaded guilty to the charge of escape, and the 8 years will be added to the remaining sentence he was facing before the escape and 8 years in prison for charges he pleaded guilty to from his capture in Henderson, Kentucky.
On May 22nd, Lee and Bradley Gillespie escaped Allen Correctional Institution with the ultimate goal of going to Mexico, and Lee's attorney says the escape was Gillespie's plan.
"And how he had previously discussed on phone calls with his mother how he could escape in this fashion. And it was clear that he had come up with a plan. And because of the environment that Mr. Lee was in at the time, when Mr. Gillespie had the opportunity, it was basically, Hey, I am getting out; do you want to come too? And Mr. Lee took it," stated Kenneth Sturgill, defense attorney.
Lee and Gillespie got out of the prison through the trash, and Judge Reed questioned how long they rode in the back of the garbage truck before they got out.
"We got out of the garbage truck here on 4th Street and walked from there," explained Lee.
"So, the garbage truck from the prison too," stated Judge Reed.
"To 4th Street," answered Lee.
"You get out on 4th Street," says Judge Reed.
"And walked from there," replied Lee.
"And the car—was it a stolen car from Auglaize County?" asked Judge Reed.
"Yeah, it was a stolen car," answered Lee.
"So, there was nobody else on the outside that was helping you out," asked Judge Reed.
"No," answered Lee.
Lee was arrested in Kentucky after a police chase ended when the stolen car was wrecked. Gillespie took off and later drowned in the Ohio River. Lee is currently in the Southern Ohio Correctional Institute; the state website says his release date is 2041, which was before the additional sentence from Allen County would be added.
