A hunt is underway against two Arizona inmates who escaped from a prison compound over the weekend, officials said.
John Charpiot, 49, and David Harmon, 61, were last seen at the Arizona State Prison Complex in Florence on Saturday, according to the Arizona Department of Corrections. The men were missing when the number of prison staff at 8:30 pm.
Charpiot was serving a 35-year sentence for a 2011 conviction for child molestation and sexual abuse. Harmon was sentenced to 100 years in prison the following year after being convicted of high school kidnapping and theft, the department said.
Both men, who were considered “average custody” inmates, are considered dangerous when authorities try to locate them.
Arizona Governor Doug Ducey announced on Sunday that he, along with the US Marshals Service, authorized rewards of $ 35,000 per prisoner for information that would lead to his capture.
“Last night, two inmates escaped from the state prison in Florence, AZ,” tweeted Ducey. “The police will work around the clock to locate and apprehend them.”
The state corrections department considered capturing Charpiot and Harmon its top priority and says it devoted all available resources, including the fugitive apprehension unit and the dog tracking team, to the search effort.
Anyone with possible information about men is encouraged to contact the state’s silent reporting hotline at 480-948-6377.
