Saturday, Aug. 09, 2008

Stanislaus County honor farm escapee captured in south Modesto

An inmate who escaped from Stanislaus County Men's Honor Farm on Thursday morning, a day before he was scheduled to be released, was captured Friday evening after a deputy spotted him in a south Modesto neighborhood, officials said.

About 7:45 p.m., the deputy spotted Modesto resident Silbestre Penaloza Menera, 32, walking near Butte Avenue and Crows Landing Road, deputy Royjindar Singh said.

The deputy noticed that the man fit the description of the escapee. As the deputy approached, the man started jogging away, Singh said. The deputy caught up and took Menera into custody.

Menera escaped about 10:30 a.m. Thursday through a gate that was opening to let a vehicle leave the honor farm, Singh said. Menera had been sentenced to serve five days with two days' credit for time served in a driving under the influence case and was scheduled to be released Friday. Menera also had a second misdemeanor driving under the influence case pending in the court system.

Singh said Menera now faces a felony charge of escape.