The month-long manhunt for James Xiong, the prisoner who slipped out of the Delta Conservation Camp in Solano County, has come to a close. Monterey police, aided by agents from the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR), nabbed the escapee at 1 p.m. on Sunday. "Agents from CDDR’s Office of Correctional Safety were assisted by the Monterey Police Department," according to a statement obtained by CDCR.
Law enforcement officials were compelled to use a taser and physical force during the capture in Monterey. The 36-year-old was sent back behind bars at the Correctional Training Facility prison in Soledad, awaiting charges for a possible escape bid brought forth by the Solano County District Attorney’s Office. Xiong's record is a patchwork of convictions ranging from first-degree robbery to firearm possession by a felon or addict. According to the information provided by CDCR, he was previously paroled in November 2019, only to be re-incarcerated with a new sentence in September 2022.
Before his escape on May 13, Xiong was reportedly last seen having breakfast at the camp. Details from the Hoodline report describe him as 5 feet 9 inches tall, with brown eyes and black hair, his escape attire consisting of a gray sweatshirt and pants. Local law enforcement and state agencies collectively intensified the search, which came to a definitive conclusion with today's arrest.
The capture is consistent with CDCR statistics that indicate a 99 percent apprehension rate for escapees since 1977. "Since 1977, 99 percent of all people who have left an adult institution, camp, or community-based program without permission have been apprehended," the CDCR statement echoed.
