Four Ohio Inmates Overpower Guards to Escape From Prison

Police are searching for four men who escaped from an Ohio jail after overpowering two female guards using a homemade weapon.

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Published: 9/29/2019, 2:15:53 PM EDT

Four Ohio Inmates Overpower Guards to Escape From Prison — Left to right, Lawrence Lee, 29; Christopher Clemente, 24; Brynn Martin, 40; and Troy McDaniel, 30. (Photo courtesy of Gallia County Sheriff's Office)

Police are searching for four men who escaped from an Ohio jail after overpowering two female guards using a homemade weapon.

According to Sheriff Matt Champlin, the four men broke out of the Gallia County Jail in Gallipolis on Sunday around 12:14 a.m, reported Fox News.

Gallia County is about 140 miles east of Cincinnati.

"The four inmates were successful in forcing open a secured door and escaped," he said.

The escapees were later identified as Brynn Martin, 40; Christopher Clemente, 24; Troy McDaniel Jr., 30; and Lawrence Lee III, 29.

"Deputies have established that the inmates had assistance in escaping from at least one individual on the outside," said Champlin.

"All of the inmates should be considered extremely dangerous," he added.

Legal records show that Lee was being held for identity fraud; Clemente for aiding and abetting, Martin on failure to appear charges, it was unclear however, what McDaniel was in custody for.

The inmates have been described as follows:

Brynn K. Martin, age 40, is 5-foot-7 and weighs about 170 pounds. He has brown hair and blue eyes.
Christopher M. Clemente, age 24, is 6-foot-1 and weighs about 165 pounds. He has brown hair and hazel eyes.
Troy R. McDaniel Jr., age 30, is 5-foot-11 and weighs about 157 pounds. He has blonde hair and blue eyes.
Lawrence R. Lee III, age 29, is 5-foot-9 and weighs about 187 pounds. He has brown hair and brown eyes.

Prison Guard Accused of Helping Fugitive Escape

Another incident happened earlier this year when a female guard at the Casper Re-Entry Facility in Casper, Wyoming, allegedly helped a prisoner escape.

Fountaine is said to have climbed a wall at the facility and then scaled a chain-link fence on Dec. 28, 2018, before hopping into a waiting SUV and fleeing the area, according to the documents, which were obtained by the Casper Star-Tribune.

Richard Fountaine, 29, and Kimberly Belcher, 25, were captured in Monroe County, Georgia on Jan. 10, 2019. Officials said that Belcher, a prison guard at the Casper Re-Entry Facility in Casper, Wyoming helped Fountaine, an inmate there, escape on Dec. 28, 2018. (Photo courtesy of Monroe County Sheriff's Office) — Richard Fountaine, 29, and Kimberly Belcher, 25, were captured in Monroe County, Georgia on Jan. 10, 2019. Officials said that Belcher, a prison guard at the Casper Re-Entry Facility in Casper, Wyoming helped Fountaine, an inmate there, escape on Dec. 28, 2018. Photo courtesy of Monroe County Sheriff's Office

Law enforcement officials stated in the documents that Belcher gave Fountaine a cellphone before he escaped, which he apparently used to arrange a ride.

Officials said that fugitive Richard Fountaine, 29, and Kimberly Belcher, 25, were spotted in Monroe County on Jan. 9, triggering a search in the area. The pair were found in a garage in Monroe County on Jan. 9 by a homeowner.

“The male stuck his head out first and I noticed he was just kind of tattooed all the way up and he was brandishing a weapon. And their eyes just looked kind of crazy,” Natalie Sundeen told 11Alive.

Authorities heard about what happened and rushed to the scene, informing Sundeen who it was that she had encountered.

A day later, the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office said in an update that Fountaine and Belcher had been captured.

CNN and Zachary Stieber contributed to this report