Two prison escapees returned to custody

Michael F. Easley Governor		Theodis Beck Secretary
North Carolina Department of Correction

For Release:	Contact: Keith Acree
Date: May 6, 2008	Phone: 919 -716-3700

Two prison escapees returned to custody CHEROKEE - Inmate James Burns #0815421 was arrested without incident last night at about 8:30 p.m. by a Cherokee Tribal Police officer. He is now housed in segregation at Cleveland Correctional Center. Burns escaped May 2nd from Rutherford Correctional Center in Spindale, where he was serving a 4-month sentence for misdemeanor assault on a female. Inmate Eric Burns #0621397, who escaped from Wilkes Correctional Center on April 17th, has also been returned to custody. He was arrested April 18th, a short distance from the prison after a telephone tip led corrections officers and North Wilkesboro police officers to his location. He is currently housed at Central Prison. Both inmates will be charged with escape. They are not known to have committed any new crimes while they were on the loose. # # #