Sweetwater County Sheriff’s Office deputies, along with officers from the Rock Springs Police Department, learned of an inmate who had escaped custody from a private inmate transport vehicle while passing through Rock Springs Tuesday night.
The fugitive was identified as John L. Ortega, 29, originally of Rock Springs.
Ortega was in transport from a detention facility in California for court proceedings on other charges he faces in Cheyenne when, during a rest stop in the 3000 block of College Drive in Rock Springs, he somehow managed to slip his restraints, escape the private transport van flee on foot.
After a manhunt lasting several hours, Deputy Leeland Reese spotted Ortega in the 2300 block of Reagan Avenue. After a brief foot pursuit toward the 2200 block of Cripple Creek Drive, Reese, with assistance from RSPD officers, successfully brought the escaped fugitive back into custody without further incident.
In addition to his charges in California and Cheyenne, Ortega now faces potential charges of interference with a peace officer and escape from official detention in Sweetwater County.
He remains in custody at the Sweetwater County Detention Center pending his initial appearance before a judge in court.
In Wyoming, interference with a peace officer is a misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for not more than one year, a fine of not more than $1,000, or both, while escape from official detention is a felony that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of not more than ten years.
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