Willimantic Man Who Escaped From Halfway House Is Sentenced

Deirdre M. Daly, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that SAMUEL VASQUEZ, 26, of Willimantic, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Stefan R. Underhill in Bridgeport to approximately five months of imprisonment, time already served, and three years of supervised release, for escaping from the custody of the Attorney General.  VASQUEZ was ordered to spend the first six months of his supervised release in a halfway house.

According to court documents and statements made in court, in June 2011, VASQUEZ was sentenced to 24 months of imprisonment for illegally selling a stolen shotgun and two handguns.  On May 7, 2013, the Bureau of Prisons transferred VASQUEZ to Watkinson House Residential Reentry Center in Hartford, an offender re-entry facility for individuals transitioning out of prison and into society.  On July 12, 2013, less than three weeks before his release date, VASQUEZ walked away from Watkinson House and did not return.  On July 25, 2013, he was arrested in Willimantic by the U.S. Marshals Service and the Willimantic Police Department.

VASQUEZ has been detained since his arrest.  On September 17, 2013, he pleaded guilty to the escape charge.

VASQUEZ is also currently serving a state term of special parole based on an unrelated state court conviction.

This matter was investigated by the U.S. Marshals Service, with the assistance of the Willimantic Police Department, and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert M. Spector.

PUBLIC AFFAIRS CONTACT:

U.S. ATTORNEY'S OFFICE
Tom Carson
(203) 821-3722
thomas.carson@usdoj.gov