Inmate Charged With Escaping From Marion Prison Camp 13 Years Ago

Donald E. Bruce, 74, of Elberfeld, Indiana, was arraigned today in United States District Court in Benton on an indictment charging him with escaping from the Federal Prison Camp at Marion, Illinois, 13 years ago, announced Stephen R. Wigginton, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois. The indictment, returned by a Federal Grand Jury on July 9th, alleged that the offense occurred on October 6, 2000. At that time, a Criminal Complaint was filed and an arrest warrant issued for Bruce. He was arrested on that warrant on June 28, 2013, in Indiana by the United States Marshal’s Service after its fugitive investigation led them to him.

An indictment is a formal charge against a defendant. Under the law, a defendant is presumed to be innocent of a charge until proved guilty beyond a reasonable doubt to the satisfaction of a jury.

At the time of his escape, Bruce was serving a 135 month sentence for conspiring to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and had approximately 9 years of that sentence left to serve. If convicted of the escape offense, Bruce faces an additional 5 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and 3 years of supervised release to follow his incarceration.

Bruce was remanded to the custody of the United States Marshal to await further proceedings.

The case was investigated by the United States Marshal’s Service and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney James M. Cutchin.