Manhunt launched after Philly inmate escapes jailers by climbing over two fences

Freeman was reportedly nearing the end of a 96 month prison sentence

A manhunt is underway for a federal prisoner who reportedly managed to climb two fences before escaping from a Philadelphia prison re-entry service.

Keith Freeman, 30, has been accused of escaping from the Kintock Group, a prison re-entry organization operating in Philadelphia. The group’s stated goal is to help prisoners prepare for re-entry into society.

According to a press statement from the US Marshals Service in Philadelphia, Freeman was near the end of a 96 month sentence when he broke free.

In 2018, Freeman was indicted on a single count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, according to the US Department of Justice.

The US Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Philadelphia Police Department investigated the case.

Keith Freeman, 30, escaped a prison re-entry organization in Philadelphia on Sunday, February 23 after he climbed over a pair of fences. He was facing a single charge of possessing a weapon as a felon (US Marshals Service)

According to the US Marshals, Freeman is 5'5 and weighs approximately 160 pounds. They have asked for any members of the public with information about Freeman's whereabouts to contact them.

The Independent has requested comment from Philadelphia law enforcement.

No information has been released indicating if Freeman planned his escape or simply acted on an opportune moment and fled.

A bit further west, the masterminds of another escape are now facing charges.

A group of six people — including the detainee's girlfriend and ex-girlfriend — pulled off a successful jailbreak at a minimum security prison in Zanesville, Ohio, according to NBC4. All six have been charged with felonies

The inmate, Wayne Pletcher, was being held by the Muskingum County Jail on charges of drug possession with intent to distribute and was issued a bond of $100,000.

He escaped jail on February 1, but by the following Tuesday area police had already tracked him down.

On February 4, local law enforcement found Pletcher — along with suspected accomplice Sara Moore — at a house in south Zanesville. He was taken back into custody without incident.

Muskingum County Sheriff Matt Lutz said: “Every single person who aided Pletcher after his escape had the opportunity to pick up a phone and report his location to law enforcement. Instead, they chose to commit felonies and now they will face the consequences of their behavior in the Muskingum County Court of Common Pleas.”