Two Men Sentenced For Prison Escape

ALEXANDRIA, La. – United States Attorney Stephanie A. Finley announced today that U.S.  District Court Judge Dee D. Drell sentenced Roland Castro, 42, an inmate at the U.S. Penitentiary in Pollock, La., to 22 months in prison and one year of supervised release for escaping a federal prison; and Timothy D. Willis, 50, of Philadelphia, Miss., to 18 months in prison and one year of supervised release for assisting in Castro’s escape.  They pleaded guilty August 20, 2013.
                                                       
According to evidence presented at the guilty plea, Castro was serving 240 months at the federal penitentiary in Pollock for a felon in possession of a firearm conviction.  Castro met Willis previously, and the two arranged to meet at an agreed-upon location on February 7, 2013.  Willis drove to the location on that date and picked up Castro.  Castro did not have permission to leave the prison.  After an emergency count of the prisoners was conducted, prison staff discovered Castro was missing.  Willis had dropped Castro off near the prison, but Castro had left instead of returning to custody.  Castro was apprehended on July 5, 2013, in Houston.

The U.S. Marshals Service conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brandon B. Brown prosecuted the case.