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Jailbreak Plot Foiled: Inmates Planned Drone Smuggling
23 Jun
Summary
- Inmates planned to escape by breaking cell walls and using a drone.
- Narcotics and contraband were to be delivered via drone through a window.
- The escape plan was discovered after an inmate reported a threat.
Two inmates at the St. Johns County jail, Joseph Izzi, 38, and Joseph Silcott, 20, have been charged with multiple new offenses following an attempted escape. The pair allegedly conspired to break through their cell wall, using a broken toilet and sink as tools to create an exit. Their plan also involved creating a hole to receive contraband, including narcotics, via drone.
Investigators discovered the elaborate scheme after Izzi informed jail staff that Silcott had threatened him with a weapon. A subsequent search of their shared cell uncovered various metal objects, some with sharpened edges. Security footage and phone calls were reviewed as part of the investigation.
Silcott and Izzi were already in custody on multiple felony charges. The alleged falling out between them, reportedly due to Izzi's charges for Human Trafficking and Child Sex Crimes, may have prompted Izzi to report the escape plan. Sheriff Rob Hardwick emphasized the seriousness with which the agency treats escape attempts and vowed accountability.
