An inmate at McKean County Jail was charged with escape after allegedly walking away from a job site where he was doing community service.
Michael A. Payne, 28, was arraigned Tuesday before District Judge William Todd on a single charge of escape, a third-degree felony. Bail is set for $15,000 in the new case, and Payne remains in McKean County Jail.
According to the criminal complaint, on Sept. 17, Payne was allowed out of the jail to perform community service hours from 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the 3G Barn, located a short distance from the jail on U.S. Route 6.
However, about 2:50 p.m., Payne walked off the job site, the complaint stated. By 3 p.m., Payne had been apprehended about a mile east from the jail by employees of the adult probation department, Smethport Police Department and the McKean County Sheriff’s Department.
A Kane-based state trooper was called in to investigate and saw security camera footage of Payne walking toward Smethport Borough, when he should have been walking back to the jail, where he was supposed to report at 3:30 p.m., according to the complaint.
Another inmate related to the trooper that Payne told him several days prior that he planned to run from the jail when no one was around, but his fellow inmate failed to notify anyone because he didn’t want to get in trouble.
On Friday, Payne told the trooper that he ran away “being dumb and not thinking,” the complaint stated. He said he planned to go to Maryland where his family lives. He said “he knew he shouldn’t have run but misses his son,” and agreed that “he messed up and will accept his punishment.”
An online case docket for a previous burglary/theft case indicates Payne’s probation was revoked earlier this summer.
He pleaded guilty July 13, 2017, to allegations that between April 4-9, he entered the Farm Restaurant on East Main Street, Bradford, and took items including soda, sugar, foam cups, plastic silverware, tea, knives, a chopper, a knife sharpener, an extension cord and light bulbs.
On June 13, a bench warrant was issued for allegations that he absconded from probation, and he has been in McKean County Jail since July 25, the online docket indicates.
It is unclear if the absconding allegation is one of the reasons for the probation revocation.
However, the online case docket does indicate that his probation was revoked on Aug. 30, and he was sentenced to 60 days of incarceration with credit for 43 days of time served, along with 18 months of probation. He was to complete 143 hours of community service prior to his release.
