Cellblock escapee faces felony charges

Advertiser Staff

Officers working at the central receiving desk at the main police station on Beretania Street noticed keys hanging from a door that leads to the makai cellblock on Feb. 17 and within minutes, determined a prisoner was missing, a police officer testified in District Court yesterday.

Sgt. Robert Phillips said a headcount was done and police found that Jessie Dutro, 19, who was being held on an auto theft charge, was missing.

Phillips said no one saw Dutro leave the cellblock and that he did not have permission to leave.

He was arrested three days later at the Kailua YMCA after police responded to a burglary call.

District Judge Russel Nagata yesterday ruled there was enough evidence to turn Dutro over to Circuit Court to be tried on felony charges of escape and burglary.

In addition, Dutro also faces charges of unauthorized entry into a motor vehicle and auto theft for allegedly stealing a Ford Expedition and breaking into a Dodge pickup truck on Feb. 20 before to his arrest at the YMCA.

Dutro is being held at the O'ahu Community Correctional Center in lieu of $50,000 bail and is to be arraigned March 10.