Chicago Jail Inmate Escapes Wearing Face Mask After Posing As Another Detainee Set To Be Released

An inmate from the Cook County Jail in Chicago escaped wearing a face mask after disguising himself as another detainee who was about to be discharged.

According to the Cook County sheriff’s office spokeswoman Sophia Ansari, the man, identified as 21-year-old Jahquez Scott, escaped from the jail after exchanging his identity with a fellow inmate, identified as 28-year-old Quintin Henderson, by allegedly promising to pay him a sum of $1,000.

The authorities said the alleged plot took place in the discharge tunnel of the southwest side of the prison in the evening of May 2.

Scott allegedly came to an agreement with Henderson and studied all his personal information. To complete his disguise and commit the perfect crime, he even traded a sweatshirt with another inmate.

According to the statement, on Saturday evening Scott waited in the discharge tunnel wearing a face mask and stepped forward when the corrections officers called out Henderson’s name as he was set for release.

Scott falsely signed into Henderson’s release papers and escaped the jail.

A federal judge had ordered the Cook County Sheriff’s office to provide face masks to all inmates amid the coronavirus pandemic.

According to Kathleen Murphy, assistant attorney at the Cook County State's Attorney's Office, a short while after Scott had successfully made his escape, Henderson went to the staff to tell them that he had fallen asleep and checked if his name had been called.

Officers realizing the mistake and immediately issued an emergency arrest warrant for Scott.

Murphy said Scott was arrested the day before the escape.

Henderson, who was jailed for a drug case and was about to be released on his own recognizance, and was now being held on a $25,000 bond for charges of aiding and abetting the escape of a felon.

Judge Mary Marubio, during Henderson’s hearing on Tuesday, said, “the nature of the offenses isn’t merely the aiding and abetting, it’s who you aided and abetted. And that’s weighing heavily against you.”

Scott had a record for aggravated battery to a police officer, possession of a controlled substance, and criminal trespass to land. He was originally placed on a $50,000 bond and was going to be placed on electronic monitoring if he made a bond.

The Cook County Sheriff’s Office has initiated an internal investigation into the escape. Scott was still at large. The Illinois Department of Corrections classified him as an "absconder" and a fugitive.

A team assisted by the US Marshals Service has initiated a search for Scott. Anyone with information about Scott’s whereabouts is asked to call 773-674-8477.