Inmates caught after escape

Two boys in a transition program out of the McLaren School escaped from a camp along the Metolius River about six miles below Bridge 99 late Tuesday night, August 19, or early Wednesday morning, August 20.

Jefferson County Deputy David Blann said he was notified of the escape at about 11:30 a.m. on August 20 by camp officials. Blann said he was told the boys escaped sometime after bed-check at 11:30 p.m., thus had as much as a 12-hour head start.

McLaren is a detention center for young men who have committed serious crimes. The two 15-year-olds were in a transition program known as Corvallis House.

Corvallis House is a program of three to four months for inmates "deemed ready for transfer (from McLaren) into the larger community," according to Acting Director Al Hughes.

Camp Sherman Resident Deputy Blann said he had not been previously notified that McLaren or Corvallis House inmates were camped in Jefferson County along the Metolius.

"It caught some of us off-guard," said Deputy Blann.

Deputy Blann and U.S. Forest Service law enforcement searched Camp Sherman, Green Ridge, the Santiam and Suttle Lake areas for the two escapees.

During this time, campers in Pioneer Ford Campground along the Metolius notified Jefferson County in Madras that two bicycles had been stolen. Another camper in Pioneer Ford was missing a 35 mm camera.

At about 2:30 p.m. on August 20, Blann was notified by the camp director that the two young men had been apprehended in Redmond, along with the bicycles and camera.

Corvallis House Acting Director Hughes said that there were eight youths at the camp. Normally, local law enforcement would have been notified of the camp "but this time we didn't because we changed destinations because of the weather."

Hughes said the original destination was a climb of Broken Top from the Mt. Bachelor side.

This is the third stay along the Metolius. Local authorities have been notified of past visits, according to Hughes.

Hughes said that he personally screens boys for the Corvallis House program.

"I interview each one referred. Some I accept, and a lot I do not, because we are not as restrictive as they are in the institution," said Hughes.

The two boys who escaped last week had been found guilty of property crimes, said Hughes, such as unauthorized use of a motor vehicle, theft, and/or criminal mischief.