February 9, 2025

ELLSWORTH — A prison inmate convicted of kidnapping and a home invasion in Anderson County has pleaded guilty to federal carjacking charges. Eric Jerome James, 22, was one of four state convicts who escaped from the Ottawa County jail in Minneapolis April 18. They were all recaptured later. The Kansas attorney general’s office filed criminal escape charges against the other three inmates. U.S. Attorney Barry Grissom said James admitted that while he was still on foot shortly after escaping, he encountered a victim who was leaving home for work. James overpowered the man by threat and force, demanding he give up his vehicle. The victim fled after suffering serious injuries to his face. James was arrested two days later in Omaha, Neb. As part of the plea agreement, the state will not charge James for the jail escape, Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt said. Sentencing is Oct. 26. Both parties have agreed to a sentence of 18 years in federal prison to be served after James serves 12 years for the Anderson County convictions. The four were among 19 inmates from the Ellsworth prison farmed out to Ottawa County because of overcrowding and state budget cuts. After the escapes, the state transferred all of the remaining inmates back to Ellsworth.
Tuesday, July 24, 4 p.m.

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