Taft prison has 2nd escape in 2 months

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By Eyewitness News staff

Summary

Another inmate has walked away from a minimum-security prison in Kern County. Humberto Martinez Jr., 35, was discovered missing Sunday night during a head count at a fenceless satellite camp.

Story Created: Mar 1, 2010 at 3:20 PM PDT

Story Updated: Mar 1, 2010 at 7:11 PM PDT

Taft prison has 2nd escape in 2 months

Humberto Martinez Jr. (Photo from Taft Correctional Institution)

TAFT, Calif. -- Another inmate has walked away from a minimum-security prison in Kern County.

Humberto Martinez Jr., 35, was discovered missing Sunday night during a head count, according to a news release from the Taft Correctional Institution.

Martinez was housed at a fenceless satellite camp that has about 550 federal inmates. He was supposed to be in prison until 2018 on a conviction of conspiracy to import controlled substances.

A Delano man, Omar Paniagua Zaragoza, was serving time on drug trafficking charges when he walked away last month from the same facility.

Martinez' home is listed as Downey. Prior to being imprisoned, he bought and sold cars, and was the owner and operator of the Hotspot Sports Bar and Mariscos Bahia Ensenada restaurants in Downey, according to the news release.

Anyone with information in Martinez' whereabouts is asked to contact the Taft Correctional Institution at (661) 763-2510 or any law enforcement agency.
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Click here to read Taft Correctional Institution's policies for accounting for inmates.