Jeffco Jail Escapee Is A Registered Sex Offender
GOLDEN, Colo. (CBS4) - Police are searching for an inmate and registered sex offender who escaped overnight from the Jefferson County Jail at 6th Avenue and Jefferson County Parkway.
Officials with the Jefferson County Sheriff's office say Travis Sandlin, 32, escaped shortly before 11 p.m. Sunday.
He fled after damaging a fence in an outdoor rec area. He is believed to have dropped 10 to 12 feet onto a roof and made a second even longer drop until he reached the ground.
Sandlin was with eight other inmates when he escaped. They are all now potential witnesses.
Sandlin was described as being 6 feet tall, weighing 185 pounds and was wearing a gray jumpsuit. He apparently fled after damaging a fence in an outdoor recreation area. Police said he is likely to some serious injuries to his back. His ankle and leg could also possibly be injured.
Police sent out reverse 911 messages to everyone within a half-mile radius of the jail.
Sandlin is facing a drug, weapons, burglary and vehicle theft charges. He has a long rap sheet that goes back 15 years. It includes burglary, vehicle theft and fraud. He was also required to register as a sex offender after a peeping Tom incident in 2003.
"Depending on what he does out of custody, which of course is our biggest concern, we don't know how desperate this person is, how badly he doesn't want to get caught; so he is potentially a danger to the public," said Jefferson County Sheriff's office spokeswoman Jacki Kelley.
It was the first escape in the 27 years the jail has been in use. Officials said they are looking to make some changes to the jail in light of the incident.
"The obvious one is there is a weakness in the outdoor rec area. Whether it's specific to that one rec area or all of them, that's what we need to look at and an inspection on all of those to see if there are any other failures in the other areas."," Kelley saidl.
Investigators say a white GMC Denali was stolen about a mile from the jail around the time of the escape. It was found dumped near Interstate 70 and El Rancho Way near Evergreen. On Monday a blue Honda Pilot was stolen within walking distance of where that Denali was found. Authorities ask that the public to keep an eye out for the Honday with Colorado plates 251-ZCD.
Sandlin also has some prior escape charges, according to the Colorado Bureau of Investigation.
