An inmate considered armed and dangerous escaped from a Maricopa County jail by simply walking out.
He pulled it off by switching identities with another inmate who was due to be released.
It happened at the Lower Buckeye Jail.
Rocky Marquez, 33, fooled detention officers and walked to freedom. He was incarcerated for misconduct involving weapons, perjury, forgery, witness tampering and more.
"The inmate assumed identity of another inmate. They conspired with each other, we have a situation where inmate is out that shouldn't be," says MCSO Capt. Brian Lee.
The sheriff's office says there is a system of checks in the jail to make sure the right inmates are released, but somehow Marquez beat it.
"This is a rare occurrence, it does happen from time to time. In a rare situation there is sometimes human error."
Capt. Lee adds there are up to 200 releases a day.
The sheriff's office is hoping to buy some biometric scanning equipment that would make it very easy to verify the identity of any inmate. But so far, for budget reasons, that has not happened.
The sheriff's office is now searching for Rocky Marquez. They consider him armed and dangerous.
The inmate who switched identities with Marquez will face conspiracy charges.
He's facing additional charges of conspiracy and escape once he's captured.
Anyone who may see Marquez or has any information is asked to call 911.
Sunday, May 19 2013 12:24 AM EDT2013-05-19 04:24:33 GMT
Officials in Connecticut say it was amazing that there were no fatalities or more injuries after two Metro-North trains collided around 6 p.m. in Fairfield Friday evening.
Officials in Connecticut say it was amazing that there were no fatalities or more injuries after two Metro-North trains collided around 6 p.m. in Fairfield Friday evening.
Sunday, May 19 2013 12:13 AM EDT2013-05-19 04:13:53 GMT
The NYPD says a 14-year-old girl was shot and killed on a Queens MTA bus Saturday night. The incident happened around 8:50 p.m. on board the Q-6 bus on Sutphin Avenue and Rockaway Boulevard
The NYPD says a 14-year-old girl was shot and killed on a Queens MTA bus Saturday night. The incident happened around 8:50 p.m. on board the Q-6 bus on Sutphin Avenue and Rockaway Boulevard
Sunday, May 19 2013 12:05 AM EDT2013-05-19 04:05:15 GMT
Authorities say one person is dead and another was injured when the vehicle they were in ran off the road and crashed into Huntington harbor on Long Island Saturday evening.
Authorities say one person is dead and another was injured when the vehicle they were in ran off the road and crashed into Huntington harbor on Long Island Saturday evening.
Saturday, May 18 2013 10:14 PM EDT2013-05-19 02:14:35 GMT
An airline official says a US Airways flight with 34 people aboard was forced to make a belly landing at Newark International Airport after experiencing landing gear trouble. No injuries were reported.
An airline official says a US Airways flight with 34 people aboard was forced to make a belly landing at Newark International Airport after experiencing landing gear trouble. No injuries were reported.
Saturday, May 18 2013 8:33 PM EDT2013-05-19 00:33:09 GMT
A 12-year-old boy was shot and killed and his father was wounded on a Jersey City street Friday night. Police say Gywan Levine Jr. and his father, Gywan Levine Sr., were walking on Rutgers Avenue
A 12-year-old boy was shot and killed and his father was wounded on a Jersey City street Friday night. Police say Gywan Levine Jr. and his father, Gywan Levine Sr., were walking on Rutgers Avenue
Saturday, May 18 2013 6:52 PM EDT2013-05-18 22:52:45 GMT
A large crowd of supporters in the Bronx joined the parents of a slain teen to protest a judge's ruling Saturday. Constance Malcolm and Francelot Graham whose son Ramarley was killed back in February
A large crowd of supporters in the Bronx joined the parents of a slain teen to protest a judge's ruling Saturday. Constance Malcolm and Francelot Graham whose son Ramarley was killed back in February
