What? Do they have Deputy Sheriff Barney Fife on duty over there?
This guy ain't Otis, the town drunk. I sure hope they catch him before he does more harm to folks.
As he facing 5 life sentences he may not give up too easily.
Rapist fled through unlocked door at jail
John MacCormack: Express-News
A twice-convicted rapist facing life in prison remained at large Thursday after dashing through an unlocked door at the Jim Hogg County Sheriff's Office late Tuesday night.
Abel Morin, 24, of San Diego, Texas, who was sentenced to five concurrent life terms in prison on Monday, has not been spotted since he escaped shortly before midnight in Hebbronville while being moved between cells.
Morin was being held in Hebbronville as part of a problem prisoner exchange agreement between Jim Hogg and Duval counties. He escaped hours after being returned to Hebbronville by Duval County deputies.
"My officers took him and placed him in the holding cell in Jim Hogg. They removed the handcuffs, belly chain and shackles, and left him in the holding cell," said Bruno Valdez, chief deputy in Duval County.
"I guess the jailer decided to take him to a regular cell without shackles and handcuffs, and the next thing you know he's running out the door," Valdez said.
Authorities advise anyone who sees the heavily tattooed Abel Morin to call police immediately. He's considered extremely dangerous.
Authorities advise anyone who sees the heavily tattooed Abel Morin to call police immediately. He's considered extremely dangerous.
Jim Hogg County Sheriff Erasmo "Kiko" Alarcon acknowledged that at least one door at the jail was left unlocked, allowing Morin to escape.
"We're looking into why the door was open. The jailer assumed the door was locked. This guy saw it cracked open and went for it," he said.
"He's very dangerous. He doesn't have much to lose at this point. He won't make it easy for us to catch him," Alarcon said. He advised anyone who spots Morin to quickly call police.
"He's pretty distinctive. He's got tattoos all over his body," Alarcon said.
Deputies from Jim Hogg and Duval counties were joined by agents of the U.S. Border Patrol, Texas Rangers and state troopers in the search. A native of Duval County, Morin had also lived in California.
In November, a Hebbronville jury convicted him of sexual assault, kidnapping and burglary. He had already served time for sexual assault of a child in Alice.
"He broke into a house in Duval County, raped the mom in front of the daughter, raped the daughter in front of the mom, tied up the mom, kidnapped the daughter, raped her again in the brush, and then released the girl when the car got stuck," said Assistant District Attorney Jon West, who prosecuted Morin.
"He's got nothing to lose. He's got five (concurrent) life sentences and now an escape on top of that. If he's caught, he's not looking to get out, period," West said.
