Enfield

Connecticut Inmate Who Escaped Extradited From Georgia

Authorities say an inmate who escaped from a Connecticut state prison has been extradited from Georgia.

The state Department of Correction says 25-year-old Jerry Mercado was returned Friday night from Georgia, where he'd been held since being apprehended Jan. 17. Officials say he initially fought extradition, but later waived that right.

Mercado escaped from the Carl Robinson Correctional Facility in Enfield on Jan. 7. He was serving three years for burglary. He was taken Friday to the high-security Northern Correctional Institution in Somers.

Authorities believe Mercado may have stowed away in the undercarriage of a garbage truck or state vehicle to escape.

Department of Correction Commissioner Scott Semple says Mercado's capture and return to state custody was the "culmination of tireless work by multiple public safety departments and agencies."

Five Connecticut DOC employees were placed on administrative leave amid the investigation into the escape. 

Bond for Mercado was set at $500,000 and he is due in court in Enfield tomorrow.

Copyright AP - Associated Press
Contact Us