Bastrop Escapees Apprehended in Mexico

According to a United States Marshall, two escaped inmates from a federal correction institution in Bastrop have been apprehended in Mexico. Inmates Adan Chavez and Leandro Luna escaped last week.

For a week, 52-year old Leandro Luna and 53-year old Adan Chavez were on the run, simply walking away from the minimum security Federal Correctional Institution in Bastrop.

Barbed wire surrounds the more secure facility on the same property, which could now be the duo's new home, after they answer to federal escape charges from the less secure dormitory style lock up.

Hector Gomez, supervisory deputy for the U.S Marshals Service says the escapees' ties to Mexico had them focusing on some key areas across the border.

With the help of Mexican authorities, the Del Rio office of Lonestar Fugitive Task Force discovered the men had crossed over into Ciudad Acuna Saturday night and from there they found out where the men were hiding.

"They were able to identify a location early yesterday morning and through their efforts they were able to identify and confirm the identity of both fugitives they were detained and transferred to Mexican Immigration authorities," Gomez said.

Bastrop resident Heather Aguilar was relieved to hear Luna and Chavez had been caught.  Watching her kids at the roller rink, not 3 miles from where the men escaped, she says escapes don't cause her to panic but she does keep her 4 kids closer.

"It happens every couple of years and when it happens you have to take extra precautions so instead of you can play in the yard yourself, you have to stay inside today," Aguilar said.

Authorities believe the pair used a government car to get out of Bastrop, making it to Austin where they switched vehicles.

Luna was spotted last Friday night in a neighborhood near Decker lane and MLK, making many people like, Sandra Davis, who they could've encountered along the way wonder why they weren't informed until 2-3 days after the escape.

"The Colorado runs right behind our property and we always wonder if that would be a great way to evade the authorities so had we weren't on high alert we were letting our children run. We would've appreciated just keeping an eye out," Davis said.

Luna and Chavez each had 10 years left on their sentences for drug related convictions. Whatever time they get as a result of the federal escape charges they're facing, will be tacked on to the end of their current sentences.

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