A jailhouse escape plan that sounded like something out of a streaming drama ended in fresh felony charges this week, after St. Johns County detectives say two inmates tried to bust out using a smashed cell window and a drone delivery of contraband.
According to a release from the St. Johns County Sheriff's Office, investigators began looking into the scheme in mid-May and filed new charges on June 3. With help from the State Attorney's Office, deputies formally arrested 20-year-old Joseph Silcott and 38-year-old Joseph Izzi on those counts Monday, even though both were already housed in the St. Johns County Detention Center.
Silcott now faces charges that include aggravated assault in a county jail, false imprisonment, attempted escape and multiple contraband-related offenses. Izzi is charged with attempted escape, conspiracy, tampering with evidence and related counts, the sheriff's office said.
Officials respond
Speaking to News4JAX, Sheriff Rob Hardwick stressed that any hint of a breakout is treated "very seriously" and said anyone who helps inmates will be held accountable. Ironically, investigators say the case broke open when Izzi told staff his cellmate had a weapon, a tip that triggered a search and, they allege, exposed the escape plot.
Evidence and the alleged drone plan
Detectives reviewed surveillance footage, recorded inmate phone calls and witness statements. They say they found six metal objects in the cell, two of them sharpened, along with damage to the sink and toilet fixtures and a broken cell window that had been opened wide enough to reach the outdoors.
The sheriff's office says the pair tried to hide the handiwork with improvised jailhouse caulk made from toilet paper, soap and toothpaste. Deputies say glass was swept up and flushed to conceal the break, while recorded calls captured requests for a sawblade, a "finger phone" and narcotics that were supposed to be flown in through the window by drone. According to the release, Izzi later gave a post-Miranda confession that laid out the details of the plan.
Why drones are worrying corrections leaders
Corrections officials around the country have been sounding the alarm about drones that ferry phones, drugs and weapons over prison walls, a trend they say fuels violence and creates new public health risks behind bars. Reporting from Ideastream describes agencies racing to deploy detection technology, netting and other countermeasures as smuggling attempts grow more sophisticated.
Legal outlook
Investigators say their probe is still active and that they are chasing leads on possible outside accomplices, so additional charges could be on the table. For now, both Silcott and Izzi remain held without bond at the St. Johns County Detention Center while prosecutors review the case and weigh formal filings.
