Joe L. Smallwood-Sain, the Oregon prisoner who breached the confines of custody and subsequently menaced an elderly woman with a hammer, has been sentenced to just under six years in prison. As detailed in a report from OregonLive, Smallwood-Sain, age 43, was convicted last month by a Marion County circuit judge on charges that include second-degree robbery and two counts of unlawful use of a weapon, along with a guilty plea for second-degree escape.
After absconding from a work crew, Smallwood-Sain took a bus to Salem's downtown area and entered a Macy’s parking garage. It was there he confronted an 84-year-old woman, hammer in hand, attempting to forcefully demand her car keys, according to authorities as reported by KOIN. The woman managed to run away, and a security guard intervened, trapping Smallwood-Sain momentarily in a parking space while the man tried to escape on foot, swinging the hammer in a threatening manner.
The security guard's quick action played a critical role in the apprehension of Smallwood-Sain, who was subsequently located and arrested while traversing Lancaster Drive in east Salem after boarding another bus after the robbery incident. This information was sourced from KPTV. Smallwood-Sain, who had been previously convicted of first-degree theft in Oct. 2022 and should have been released in July 2023, has now been denied the possibility of early release.
