Man Facing ‘3rd Strike’ Flees From Courthouse

A man facing a “third strike” prison sentence of 25 years to life for cocaine possession fled Tuesday from a courthouse in a pickup truck, authorities said.

Frank Soto, 45, of Mission Viejo was in the South Court Justice Center for arraignment when a judge granted his request to step outside the courtroom to talk with his attorney, said Sheriff’s Department spokesman Steve Doan. Once outside, Soto fled to the parking lot and left in his truck, authorities said.

“He knew he was going away for the rest of his life, and he didn’t like it,” Doan said. He described Soto as armed and dangerous.

Prosecutors filed charges in July against Soto, including felony possession of cocaine, said Orange County Deputy Dist. Atty. Elizabeth Henderson.

Soto was at the Laguna Niguel courthouse Tuesday to appear at his arraignment and was not yet in custody.

In court documents, prosecutors indicated Soto was eligible for a long three-strikes punishment if found guilty. In 1986 he was convicted in federal court in Illinois of conspiracy to commit murder, and he has separate robbery convictions in Los Angeles County from 1976, 1979 and 1982, records show.

Sheriff’s deputies arrested Soto on March 26, but prosecutors initially declined to file charges, pending further investigation, said Deputy Dist. Atty. Elizabeth Henderson. On Sept. 5, prosecutors notified Soto by mail that they were charging him with a single felony count of cocaine possession, plus three misdemeanor crimes. The letter instructed Soto to appear in court Tuesday for his arraignment.

Authorities described Soto as 5 feet, 8 inches tall, of medium build, with slicked-back hair and tattoos.