DESOTO COUNTY, Miss. — Two inmates who escaped from a DeSoto County jail last week were found working in a Mexican restaurant in Bartlett, DeSoto County authorities said Monday.
Cesar Gonzalez and Jose Vasquez were apprehended at El Molino restaurant at Summer Avenue and Altruria, where they were working, said DeSoto County Chief Deputy Justin Smith.
The other two escapees, Cesar Martinez and Juan Monsivais, were apprehended at North Graham and Bayliss in Memphis, he said. They were walking down the road.
Isidro Gonzalez, one of the owners at El Molino, said the pair came to him asking for two days of work so they could make money for food. He said they did work like pressure washing in the back and moving garbage. One had experience waiting tables.
Gonzalez said he had no idea the men were escapees, and didn’t think it was suspicious because they were working out in the open.
The four jail trusties, who were working as cooks in the jail kitchen area, walked away from a DeSoto County facility Thursday. Smith said they made their way out a door while a delivery was being made.
They were captured about 36 hours later.
The inmates were convicted of non-violent offenses. Smith said they were not aware of any crimes that were committed during the escape.
The inmates are likely to face sentences of around five years for the escape and won’t be allowed to work as a jail trusty again, officials said. Smith said it was the first escape in the facility’s 10-year history.
They are currently being held at 201 Poplar and will soon be extradited to the Desoto County jail.