CONWAY, SC (WBTW) Three men accused of robbery and murder have been moved to a maximum security facility after a written plan of escape from one of the suspects was discovered.
“We are continuing to review our security measures as a result of the planned escape and have made adjustments to the physical security design of the facility to enhance our overall security posture,” Tom Fox, the director of the J. Rueben Long Detention Center said.
The three men are accused in connection with the Sunhouse robberies and murders.
Mr. Fox could not discuss how they planned to escape because he did not want others to know how officials were able to find out about the information. He said it would cause a security threat and prevent the ability to conduct investigations.
He said the suspects were moved to the Lee Correctional Institute through the state’s “Safekeepers” program. That transfer requires the approval of the governor.
Fox said it’s been done just four times over the past 16 years.
The requirements for this transferred are listed below.
An individual held in county pre-trial confinement may be transferred to the custody of the SCDC pursuant to Section 24-3-80, South Carolina Code of Laws, 1976, as amended, and State of South Carolina Executive Order #2000-11 if the individual falls into one of the following categories:
1) is considered to be high escape risk;
2) exhibits extremely violent and uncontrollable behavior;
3) must be removed from the county facility to protect the individual from the general population or from other detainees.
