MILAN, NM – On August 26, authorities thwarted an attempted escape by two inmates at Cibola County Correctional Center (CCCC). According to a statement provided by the facility's Public Affairs Manager, Brian Todd, the incident occurred at approximately 12:52 p.m. when the inmates attempted to breach the secure perimeter of the facility.
Though the inmates never left the secured area, staff quickly responded, and local law enforcement agencies, including the Milan Police Department and New Mexico State Police, were notified and provided precautionary support outside the perimeter. No injuries were reported among CCCC staff during the incident.
Officer Nikolas Candelaria of the Milan Police Department was one of the responding officers. In a brief conversation on September 3, Milan Police Chief Carl Ustupski and Officer Candelaria confirmed that police physically removed the inmates from one of the perimeter fences during the incident. However, Milan police are not handling the investigation within the facility, which would reveal how the inmates managed to escape their cells.
The investigation, being conducted by CCCC and its government partner, the United States Marshals Service, remains ongoing. The Milan Police Department awaits further details from the facility before deciding if charges will be filed.
For more information, CCCC informed the Cibola Citizen newspaper needs to contact the Marshals Service. A request for information has been filed.
'We are grateful for the immediate response by the CCCC staff and the support of the Milan Police Department and the New Mexico State Police,' the statement from CCCC concluded.
As the investigation continues, both inmates remain secured, and the incident is under review.