Fugitive Jason Patrick Tope, 26, who was found in a hideout in St.

Tuesday, March 19, 2002

Fugitive Jason Patrick Tope, 26, who was found in a hideout in St. Paul and placed in custody last Thursday, was transported to the Freeborn County Jail Monday.

The escapee arrived at the jail around 1 p.m. back in his old home, Tope was accommodated in a maximum-security zone this time.

Tope escaped from his cell in a medium-security zone by prying open a window using a part of crutch on Feb. 8.

The cells in the medium-security zone have a window. The entire maximum security zone is caged with iron bars, and there is no way for inmates to access windows.

The Sheriff’s Office says congestion in the jail makes it difficult to place inmates in an appropriate security level. The night of the escape, there were 46 inmates in the facility with a recommended capacity of 38.

Tope had been arrested last November when he and his brother, Shawn Casey Tope, were &uot;cooking&uot; methamphetamine in their residence at 205 Giles Place in Albert Lea. Tope is accused of three counts of meth production-related charges.

County Attorney Craig Nelson will charge Tope for the escape. The maximum penalty for the charge is five years imprisonment and a $10,000 fine.