PROVIDENCE – A federal grand jury in Providence today returned an indictment charging James Morales, 35, with escape from the custody of the Attorney General, announced United States Attorney Peter F. Neronha.
It is alleged in the indictment that on December 31, 2016, Morales escaped from the custody of the Wyatt Detention Facility in which he was confined by direction of the Attorney General and her authorized representative, by virtue of an Order of detention of a United States Magistrate Judge for the District of Massachusetts.
Morales was captured in Somerville, Massachusetts on January 5, 2017, by Massachusetts State Police and returned to federal custody.
James Morales is scheduled to be arraigned on the indictment before U.S. District Court Magistrate Judge Patricia A. Sullivan on Thursday, January 19, 2017, at 11:00 AM. An indictment is merely an allegation and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Escape from the custody of the Attorney General is punishable by statutory penalties of up to 5 years imprisonment followed by up to 3 years supervised and a fine of up to $250,000.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lee H. Vilker.