January 20, 2011

TWO HARRISBURG MEN CHARGED WITH ESCAPE

     The United States Attorney's Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that two Harrisburg men have been charged with escaping from the Capital Pavilion Community Corrections Center (CPCCC) and have agreed to plead guilty to the charges when they appear in federal court.

     According to United States Attorney Peter J. Smith, Joseph Burnett, age 35, of Harrisburg was serving a 37-month prison sentence for a prior escape from the CPCCC on November 30, 2007. On December 17, 2010, at approximately 10:10 a.m., Burnett left the CPCCC without permission. He surrendered to the U.S. Marshals Service at approximately 4:10 p.m., on December 17, 2010. He is scheduled to enter his guilty plea in federal court on February 1, 2011, before Senior Judge Sylvia H. Rambo.

     According to U.S. Attorney Smith, Savalas Pope, age 35, of Harrisburg, PA, was serving a 10-year sentence for distribution of crack cocaine. On December 17, 2010, at approximately 9:44 p.m., Pope left the CPCCC without permission. He surrendered to the U.S. Marshals Service on December 22, 2010. No date has been set for the entry of his guilty plea on the escape charge.

     Both men face up to five years' imprisonment and $250,000 in fines if convicted.

     The cases were investigated by the U.S. Marshals Service and are being prosecuted by Senior Litigation Counsel Bruce Brandler.

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An Indictment or Information is not evidence of guilt but simply a description of the charge made by the Grand Jury and/or United States Attorney against a defendant. A charged Defendant is presumed innocent until a jury returns a unanimous finding that the United States has proven the defendant's guilt beyond a reasonable doubt or until the defendant has pled guilty to the charges.