Jan. 10, 2002 – An islandwide manhunt is under way on St. Croix for two inmates who escaped Wednesday night from the Golden Grove jail, the new pre-trial facility on St. Croix. Police Chief Novelle Francis Jr. confirmed Thursday the escape of Jeffrey Dawkins and Cheyenne Santiago.
"Police dispatch were called around 10 p.m. last night reporting the escape of the two prisoners," Francis said. He said Dawkins had also been "charged previously with escaping from custody."
Attorney General Iver Stridiron said Thursday morning that Dawkins was awaiting trial on robbery charges and that Santiago was in custody in lieu of bail on weapons possession and robbery charges. "They escaped through a 12 by 12 vent in the roof of the jail cell," he said. Once recaptured, both men will be charged as habitual offenders, which "could enhance the sentence they receive," if convicted of the pending charges, he said.
Stridiron also said he will likely order Santiago and Dawkins to be moved to the Wallens Ridge maximum security prison in Virginia if they are found guilty. "I have no reservations about letting them have a taste of Wallens Ridge, since they have a tendency to escape from custody," he said.
Some prisoners, Stridiron said, spend 24 hours a day, seven days a week trying "to beat the system, and Dawkins is one of those individuals."
According to Stridiron, "Bureau of Corrections guards, special agents from Justice, Virgin Islands Police officers, marshals of the Territorial Court and agents of the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Task Force are all out looking for these two men." He said it's only a matter of time before the two are returned to custody.
