Indio jail escape leads to hours-long search – Inmate re-captured

INDIO, Calif. — Authorities say the escape of an inmate from John Benoit Detention Center in Indio led to an hours-long search and eventual re-capture of the inmate who somehow managed to escape the facility Saturday afternoon, July 18.

The inmate, since identified as 35 year-old, Angel Felipe Aleman, had originally been booked into jail by Indio Police Department Friday, July 17, after allegedly stealing a bank deposit bag containing about $140,000 from an armored car parked at an Indio McDonald’s.

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Deputies working at the jail realized Aleman had escaped from the facility shortly before 4 p.m., Riverside Sheriff’s Public Information Officer Cpl. L. Murphy later said of Aleman’s escape and recapture.

“Multiple resources were deployed and a perimeter was set around the immediate area,” Murphy reported.

Aleman was last seen around 3:40 p.m., walking southeast away from the jail in the area of Oasis St. and Dr. Carreon Blvd., according to an Indio PD social media release that did not specify how they obtained the information.

Officials also reported that Aleman was last seen wearing an orange jail jumpsuit, white undershirt, socks, no shoes and was possibly still wearing waist chains.

Angel Aleman’s escape from the John Benoit Detention Center in Indio kicked off an hours-long search that ended when he was re-captured “somewhere close by”, Riverside Sheriff’s Cpl. Murphy later reported. RSO booking photo

In their release, Indio PD cautioned the public not to try approaching Aleman.

“We are encouraging our residents to stay inside their homes and lock all doors and windows. If you see anyone suspicious or matching the description, please dial 911 immediately,” Indio PD continued in their release.

Over the next four hours, area residents reported seeing a heavy police presence, while deputies and officers searched for the escaped inmate.

“After a thorough search, Aleman was located and taken into custody,” Murphy later reported; saying he was captured “somewhere close by”, around 8 p.m.

In an earlier social media release, Indio PD reported Aleman was arrested the day before his escape, after allegedly stealing a sealed bank deposit bag containing about $140,000. The bag of cash was stolen from an armored car parked outside a McDonald’s restaurant.

Witnesses at the time reported seeing Aleman running southbound from the location with the money bag.

Officers investigating the theft soon located Aleman in the front yard of a nearby residence, performing yard work.

Although he was positively identified through video surveillance footage and witnesses, officers could not immediately locate the stolen money bag, according to Indio PD’s release; which reported that detectives from the department’s Major Crimes & Street Crimes Unit responded and assumed the investigation.

Aleman was arrested the day before his escape, after allegedly stealing a sealed bank deposit bag containing about $140,000 from an armored truck parked in front of an Indio McDonald’s. Indio Police Department photos

“Detectives searched the course of travel Aleman possibly took while fleeing the scene of the crime,” officials continued; saying, “While searching a dirt lot near Cheyenne Street … detectives located the money hidden in a shallow hole under a box.”

Sheriff’s officials are continuing to investigate Aleman’s escape and have declined to release any further information regarding the incident.

Anyone with information regarding this ongoing investigation is encouraged to contact Investigator II, Letterly at (760) 863-8305. Callers can refer to incident file number C202000016 and can remain anonymous.

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Trevor Montgomery, 48, moved in 2017 to the Intermountain area of Shasta County from Riverside County and runs Riverside County News Source and Shasta County News Source. Additionally, he writes or has written for several other news organizations; including Riverside County based newspapers, Valley News, (the now defunct) Valley Chronicle, Anza Valley Outlook, and Hemet & San Jacinto Chronicle; as well as Bonsall/Fallbrook Village News in San Diego County and Mountain Echo in Shasta County.

Trevor spent 10 years in the U.S. Army as an Orthopedic Specialist before joining the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department in 1998. He was medically retired after losing his leg, breaking his back, and suffering both spinal cord and brain injuries in an off-duty accident. (Click here to see segment of Discovery Channel documentary of Trevor’s accident.)

During his time with the sheriff’s department, Trevor worked at several different stations; including Robert Presley Detention Center, Southwest Station in Temecula, Hemet/Valle Vista Station, Ben Clark Public Safety Training Center, and Lake Elsinore Station; along with other locations.

Trevor’s assignments included Corrections, Patrol, DUI Enforcement, Boat and Personal Water-Craft based Lake Patrol, Off-Road Vehicle Enforcement, Problem Oriented Policing Team, and Personnel/Background Investigations. He finished his career while working as a Sex Crimes and Child Abuse Investigator and was a court-designated expert in child abuse and child sex-related crimes.

Trevor has been married for more than 29 years and was a foster parent to more than 60 children over 13 years. He is now an adoptive parent and his “fluid family” includes 13 children and 16 grandchildren.

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