Local News in Brief : Three Inmates Escape
Three inmates--including a man described as “one of the biggest marijuana dealers around”--have escaped from Terminal Island Federal Prison, authorities reported Thursday.
The three were missing when a count of prisoners was taken Wednesday afternoon at the medium-security facility in the harbor area, prison officials said.
“We are at a loss to explain how they escaped. But we no longer think they are hiding on the grounds,” said Jim Zangs, an executive assistant at the prison.
The escapees were identified as: Dennis Ingham, 45, of Tustin, who arrived April 7 to await trial on conspiracy to purchase marijuana; James Anthony Sines, 44, of Newport Beach, who was sentenced to 15 years in an Arizona federal court for conspiracy to sell heroin, and Carlos E. Canton, 38, a native of Colombia, who was awaiting trial in a narcotics conspiracy.
Federal indictments in Hawaii and Seattle charge Ingham with trafficking at least 60 tons of marijuana, Assistant U.S. Atty. Julie Fox Blackshaw said.
“Narcotics agents tell me he’s one of the biggest marijuana dealers around,” she said.
“At this time there’s no information that they are armed or had help in effecting an escape,” Zangs said.
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