BROOKVILLE — A Jefferson County Jail inmate who is still on the run has been charged, according to court documents. State police in Punxsutawney have charged John Russ Moon, 58, of North Versailles, Pennsylvania, with one count of escaping, a felony in the second degree, and one count of flight to avoid apprehension/trial/punishment, a misdemeanor in the second degree, according to a criminal complaint filed at Magisterial District Judge Gregory Bazylak’s office Nov. 10.
According to the affidavit of probable cause, Moon — an inmate at the Jefferson County Jail — “walked off of a job site” at his work release program in DuBois, at 7:50 a.m. on Nov. 7.
Police spoke with personnel at the jail, who said they received a call from a woman at 6:21 a.m. on Nov. 7, relating that Moon “was going to leave his work release program.” The staff member said at the time, they didn’t think he was going to do it and Moon “has been flying under the radar as far as behavior goes.” Police spoke to this woman, who stated she did not know where he was. Moon reportedly called her that day and stated he wanted to get out of jail, and asked her to come and pick him up, to which she declined, then called the jail to tell them what Moon told her, according to the affidavit of probable cause.
On Nov. 7, police spoke to a staff member of the White Oak Police Department, who said that a witness observed Moon enter his sister’s residence. White Oak police conducted a search of the residence and confirmed he had been there, but was no longer there.
White Oak Borough is about two hours and 15 minutes from DuBois by vehicle, and less than 20 miles from Pittsburgh.
DuBois Area School District operated on a “modified lockdown” as a precaution Friday after district officials were informed that a person on work release was unaccounted for and possibly in the DuBois area.
Dustin Myers, Jefferson County Jail warden, said that has of 8:15 p.m. on Monday, Moon had not been located.
“Once an inmate leaves the jail for work release, he is under the jurisdiction of probation. We have no jurisdiction outside the jail,” Myers said.
On Wednesday, state police in Punxsutawney told the Courier Express that they were unaware whether or not Moon had been located.