California felon escapes custody by casually walking away from low-security work site

A fugitive at large: A 35-year-old felon prisoner named Santiago Duran has escaped from custody after being sentenced to 10 years in prison for a violent domestic conflict involving firearms and law enforcement. This escape took place in a very surprising way: Duran just fled his assigned workspace inside the Julius Klein Conservation Camp, a low-security establishment located in the Los Angeles suburb of Azusa.

The incident was confirmed in a statement released by the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. The official statement states that sometime before 2:45 p.m. on Monday, prison officials learned of Duran’s departure. The statement provides no additional details regarding Duran’s escape, simply describing the incident as him “walking away” from the camp.

“Staff immediately initiated an emergency count, confirming Duran was not at the camp. Within minutes, agents from CDCR’s Office of Correctional Safety were directed to locate and apprehend Duran and notification was made to local law enforcement,” according to the press release.

Duran, who was imprisoned for a run-in with police in Porterville, California, in 2022 after a domestic disturbance report, had completed about 18 months of his sentence. He made a risky escape while working at a work site, a facility built to house 125 low- to medium-security prisoners, according to Your Central Valley, a local CBS affiliaite.

There have been previous escapes from the work site, where prisoners are given different responsibilities like maintenance and groundskeeping. Evan Chezick, an inmate, also escaped from the facility in July 2023, but he was caught five days later following a home invasion.

99% of escaped prisoners are recaptured, according to the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.

The public is being asked to be vigilant in the search for Santiago Duran by law enforcement officials. When last seen, he was dressed in gray sweatpants and a white long-sleeved thermal shirt. Duran, who is 5’7″ and weighs 172 pounds, stands out for having brown eyes, black hair, and numerous tattoos.