Florida Prison Escapees Found; More Arrests Expected

Florida prison escapees Charles Walker and Joseph Jenkins (pictured) were discovered at a Panama City Beach motel on Saturday night.

Florida Department of Law Enforcement and the U.S. Marshall’s Service have been on a multi-jurisdiction wide manhunt for Walker and Jenkins for days. The two 34-year-old inmates had used fraudulent documents to get out of jail. Since it is believed they did not act alone, law enforcement officials are hoping to find and arrest those who aided them.

"They had to have had help — and a lot of help — to get to where they were last night," Florida Department of Law Enforcement Commissioner Gerald Bailey said, according to the Orlando Sentinel. He added: “There will be more arrests,” and revealed that the two were to have a “transport” to another location had investigators not located them at the motel.

Walker and Jenkins had been sentenced to life in prison on unrelated charges, but were both serving out their time at Franklin Correctional Institution in Carabelle, Fla. Walker was freed with the bogus documentation on Sept. 27, while Jenkins escaped on Oct. 8. Last week, the mother of Walker’s victim alerted the state attorney’s office that he had walked free.

When law enforcement descended upon the Coconut Grove Motor Inn in Panama City, both Jenkins and Walker peacefully submitted to arrest. On Sunday, they were each charged with one count of escape and will be held without bond until their next court appearances on Friday.

– Chelsea Regan

Get Uinterview's FREE iPhone App For Daily News Updates here.

Get the FREE Uinterview iPad app here and watch our videos anywhere.