MADISON – A Wisconsin Department of Corrections spokeswoman says authorities including Milwaukee Police are spending Monday searching for an inmate who has escaped a minimum security center in Northern Wisconsin.
Law enforcement officers are trying to find and arrest Mario Beltran, 24, who escaped from the Flambeau Correctional Center in Hawkins, Wis., at about 10:30 p.m. Sunday.
“We were conducting a head count late last night when one of the sergeants at Flambeau Correctional Center found this offender missing, and he could not be located at that point,” DOC spokeswoman Linda Eggert told Newsradio 620 WTMJ.
“Our staff at one of our correctional centers, which is a minimum security facility in northern Wisconsin, is working closely with any police officers from Milwaukee PD who are aware of this escape and trying to locate this offender at soon as possible.”
She also said that a warrant for his arrest was issued, while Sawyer County Sheriff’s department officials were also notified.
According to Eggert, the Milwaukee Police gang task force are working closely with a captain at the correctional center.
A police report Monday morning said he may have been with a prison visitor, Rachael Lass of West Allis.
They may be driving a red Toyota with Illinois license plate N442-431.
Beltran was placed in prison on two previous convictions.
“We’re working diligently with law enforcement to make sure this offender is apprehended as quickly as possible,” said Eggert. “Public safety is always the number one concern when something like this occurs.”
Fewer security levels at minimum security centers
Eggert explained that while most prison facilities have higher levels of security, Flambeau is not among them.
“We have maximum and medium security facilities that have the armed guard towers, permanent fences, locked doors and all kinds of security measures that people have come to know about the regular prison system. We also have numerous facilities that come at the end of a offender’s say, prison term, to prepare them for entry into the community. Those are called minimum security centers,” said Eggert.
“Flambeau Correctional Center is one of those minimum security centers. It basically works with the inmates prior to their release, sort of on their last step of preparation before release.”
