Five security guards fired, others demoted after suspected killer escapes Virginia jail
Several employees of Virginia's Piedmont Regional Jail have been fired after two federal inmates escaped last month.
Piedmont Regional Jail superintendent Jerry Townsend said five security guards have been fired, while several more were demoted and disciplined.
"Human error led to the escapes," Townsend said.
Townsend laid out what he says were the causes and consequences of the April 30 escapes of 26-year-old Alder Alfonso Marin-Sotelo and 44-year-old Bruce Callahan.
"Those individuals are being held accountable," Townsend said of the security guards disciplined.
Marin-Sotelo and Callahan escaped separately about 22 hours apart, and it wasn't reported to outside law enforcement for more than a day after the first escape, raising questions about why their absence took so long to be noticed.
Alder Alfonso Marin-Sotelo and his older brother, Arturo Marin-Sotelo, are charged with murdering Wake County deputy Ned Byrd in August 2022. Callahan, also from North Carolina, was serving time on multiple federal drug charges.
Deputy Byrd’s uncle Walter Penney still wants answers about the security breach.
Over the phone Walter Penney, Deputy Byrd's Uncle spoke with WRAL.
"Everybody I've ever talked to since that happened are just in awe of how it could happen?” Penney said.
Authorities captured Callahan on May 8 on Longwood University's campus.
On May 4, Mexican authorities captured Alder Alfonso Marin-Sotelo in the state of Guerrero – more than 2,400 miles away from Virginia jail, the FBI said.
Townsend said Alder Alfonso Marin-Sotelo and Callahan got out of the Virginia jail in late April through a rear exit door left unsecured by a guard.
The jail is also upgrading the razor wire around the site and 17 exterior locks, Townsend said.
"We'll make sure that the administrative presence is here at the jail, more frequent, around the clock," Townsend said.
The findings and response were discussed in a mostly closed session of the jail's governing authority Wednesday, but Townsend spoke alongside the chair and vice chair afterwards who pledged their support.
"On behalf of the board, we're committed to work on the superintendent to make sure the personnel decisions and the facility improvements that are needed are made to address the issues identified through the internal investigation," said Douglas Stanley, the Piedmont Regional Jail Authority vice chair and Prince Edward County administrator.
What remains unknown is the financial impact of the escape.
The federal government contracts 100 beds at the jail, but said they were removing their inmates because of what happened.
Jail leaders say 34 federal inmates are still there and discussions are ongoing about the long-term future.
"It's going to take some work on both sides to make that determination," said Tracy Gee, the Piedmont Regional Jail Authority chair and Lunenburg County administrator.
If all inmates were removed, it would create a $2.7 million budget shortfall, but officials said they'll likely make up the current gap with cuts at next month's meeting.
Meanwhile, Townsend said he wants the community to be assured the jail is secure.
"It's a teachable moment for a lot of individuals," Townsend said. "I have, for 43 years, have been engaged in similar situations.
"It should make us better and stronger."
