Five escaped inmates drive off in stolen vehicle, Missouri police say. Search ongoing

Five inmates are on the run after escaping from a Missouri jail and driving off in a stolen vehicle, officials say.

The men forced their way through a security door at the St. Francois County Jail, then moved to the roof of the building and “eventually onto the ground,” around 7 p.m. on Jan. 17, the county sheriff’s department said in a social media post.

Surveillance video spotted them 15 minutes later in the parking lot of a nearby business, officials said. They are accused of taking off their orange jail clothing, stealing a 2009 Scion TC with temporary Missouri tags and driving away together “in a southerly direction.”

While all of the men were being held on felony charges, three of them — LuJuan Tucker, Aaron Sebastian and Kelly McSean — “are known sex offenders being held for crimes committed while confined in the Missouri Department of Corrections Sexual Offender Treatment Center,” the sheriff’s department said.

McSean is a sexual predator, records show, the Daily Journal reported.

Dakota Pace was detained on charges of resisting arrest, stealing and property damage, the outlet reported. Michael Wilkins was being held at the jail for charges including second-degree burglary and probation violation.

The escapees were last seen wearing white leggings, boxers or basketball shorts and T-shirts, the department said.

Anyone with information about the inmates is asked to contact the St. Francois County Sheriff’s Department at 573-756-3252.

“If you spot any escaped inmate, call 9-1-1 and do not approach the fugitives,” the release said.

This story was originally published January 18, 2023 at 9:20 AM with the headline "Five escaped inmates drive off in stolen vehicle, Missouri police say. Search ongoing."