California – Six inmates, ranging from ages 19 to 22 years old were reported to have been missing from their cells at Merced County Jail just before midnight this past Saturday. Investigators found that the men made their escape through the roof using a homemade rope to scale down the sides of the jail.

Since the escape one inmate, Edgar Eduardo Ventura, 22, has been apprehended as of January 12, 2021. He was found in the Firebaugh area about 40 miles west of Fresno according to the Merced County Sheriff’s office. Ventura is a convicted felon in possession of a firearm and known ties in a street gang.

The remaining inmates at large Jorge Barron, 20, of Atwater; Gabriel Francis Coronado, 19, of Atwater; Manuel Allen Leon, 21, of Vallejo; Andres Nunez Rodriguez Jr., 21, of Planada; and Fabian Cruz Roman, 22, of Los Banos, are considered to be armed and dangerous. Anyone who is to spot them is urged to call 911 immediately. A tip line with the U.S Marshals Service has been set up and is offering a reward of $5,000 per fugitive

For further reading:

• 6 inmates allegedly used ‘homemade rope’ to escape California jail– NBC News