3 Escapees’ Hometowns Canvassed

Three men who stole a truck to escape from the Ventura Youth Correctional Facility in Camarillo Thursday remained at large Friday night, officials said.

Parole agents and undercover officers were canvassing the hometowns of the three because officials believe the men will return to areas they are familiar with, said Chuck Kubasek, assistant superintendent of the state detention center.

“We assume they are going to surface close to their homes,” Kubasek said.

The escapees are Randy Garret Lynch of Fresno, Carlos Reyes of Los Angeles and Andrew Marass of Victorville. All three are 19 and considered dangerous, officials said.

Shortly before noon Thursday, the men were working in a California Department of Forestry maintenance yard at the correctional facility at 3000 Wright Road, officials said.

They made their escape by hot-wiring an employee’s truck parked nearby, officials said. The vehicle is a blue 1990 Chevrolet pickup with a red extended cab and has the California license plate 3WHP726. It had not been recovered as of Friday night.

Meanwhile, prosecutors Friday filed felony escape charges against the men, which means if they are captured and convicted, they could be sent to an adult state prison, Kubasek said.

“It’s an incredibly stupid mistake these young men have made,” Kubasek said.

Lynch had been incarcerated for robbery and was scheduled for parole in a year. Reyes, a burglar, was set for release in December, and Marass, a robber, was set to be paroled at the end of next year, officials said.

The escape was the second from the facility this year. In April, a man on a training exercise walked away from the facility but was caught three days later, officials said.