Manhunt underway after inmate escapes Ventura detention facility

Authorities are searching for an escaped inmate who, while on kitchen detail, fled from a Ventura County jail on Thursday night.

The inmate, identified as 31-year-old Jonathan Alfaro, was awaiting trial at a pretrial detention facility in Ventura on burglary charges, according to the Ventura County Sheriff’s Department.

Alfaro was last seen on the loading dock. Authorities said he then “walked off” the premises around 7 p.m. Deputies were immediately alerted and began searching the vicinity.

All inmates sign escape clauses, with many of them being authorized to work around jail facilities where security is limited. Alfaro was assigned to work in the kitchen.

Deputies say Alfaro is 5-foot-4 and weighs about 140 pounds. “There is no information to suggest he is a danger to the public or a threat to the community,” the Sheriff’s Department said.

Alfaro is described as having short black hair, a black beard and a black mustache. He was last seen wearing jail-issued blue jeans and an orange T-shirt.

Jonathan Alfaro, shown in a booking photo, “walked off” from a Ventura detention facility, authorities say.

(Ventura County Sheriff’s Department)

The Sheriff’s Department said the jail’s classification unit heavily screens all inmates in custody for nonviolent crimes.

Police are advising anyone who spots Alfaro not to attempt to make contact. Instead, people are urged to call 911 or their local police station immediately.

Anyone with information about Alfaro’s whereabouts or details regarding the escape is encouraged to call the Ventura County Sheriff’s Department at (805) 654-9511.