WCDO Radio News

55-year-old Joyce Mitchell was
conditionally released Thursday morning from the Bedford Hills Correctional
Facility.  Mitchell Previously Worked at
the state prison in Dannemora, she helped Richard Matt and David Sweat break
out of the prison in 2015. After a three-week manhunt, Matt was shot dead and
Sweat was captured and was transferred to another facility. Sweat was convicted
for the 2002 killing of Broome County Sheriff's Deputy Kevin Tarsia.

Former Clinton County Correctional Facility Guard Gene Palmer pleaded guilty in court on today to Promoting prison contraband and official misconduct, for smuggling tools to Richard Matt & David Sweat last year, prior to their escape from jail & a 3 week long manhunt. Palmer was sentenced him to 6 months in jail and he was fine $5,000, and was forced to resign his position. Matt was shot and killed by State Police, Sweat was wounded and apprehended by police and has been sent to a different jail to serve out his term for killing Broome County Sheriffs deputy Kevin Tarsia in 2002.

David Sweat has been ordered to pay restitution of more than $79,000 & was sentenced to 3 1/2 to 7 years additional prison time for the escape from the Clinton Correctional Facility last year, along with Richard Matt. Both Matt & Sweat were on the run for 22 days last June, Matt was fatlly shot by Police on June 26th, Sweat was shot 2 days later and was captured after 22 days on the run. Sweat was originally sentenced to life in prison for murdering Broome County Deputy Kevin Tarsia in 2002.

Broome County native David Sweat pleaded guilty to charges brought against him after he escaped from the Clinton County prison in Dannemora earlier this year. Sweat pleaded guilty to 2 counts of escape and 1 count of promoting prison contraband, for the June jail break with Richard Matt, Sweat was on the run for 22 days until he was found near the Canadian border. He was shot & injured by a state trooper 2 days after Matt was shot & killed by police. Sweat is now serving his time at Five Points Correctional Facility in Romulus, he was previously sent to jail for the murder of Broome County Sheriff's deputy Kevin Tarsia in 2002.

Delaware County Sheriff’s Investigators arrested 38-year-old Richard Swislosky of Sidney on Wednesday on a Sealed Grand Jury Indictment Warrant. Swislosky was arrested by Delaware County Sheriff's Office on October 8th and charged with Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance and Criminal Possession of a Forged Instrument, following an investigation by the Sheriffs department, Probation Department & the Village of Sidney Police Department for allegedly trafficking heroin in Sidney and Oneonta. A Delaware County Grand Jury indicted Swislosky on those charges and 2 additional charges of Criminal Sale of a Controlled Substance, for allegedly selling heroin in the Sidney area prior to his October 8th arrest. Swislosky was arraigned on the new charges & was remanded back to the Delaware County Jail on $100,000 cash bail pending further court action.

51-year-old Joyce Mitchell was ordered to pay nearly $80,000 in restitution to New York State, for helping to get 2 inmates out of the Clinton Correctional facility earlier this year. Mitchell is being ordered to pay for repairs needed at the jail after she provided tools to Richard Matt and David Sweat to cut their way out. Mitchell pleaded guilty to charges related to the escape and was sentenced to 2-1/3rd to 7 years in prison. Matt was shot dead, Sweat was located, shot & wounded 2 days after Matt’s death, both men were on the run from police for about 3 weeks.

The Bainbridge Chamber recognition dinner will be at The Sundown Golf Club on Saturday, at 6:00 to honor the Richard Metzger as the 2015 Citizen of the Year along with Highway 7 Bar & Restaurant as the Business of the Year.

Former Broome County resident & escaped prisoner David Sweat appeared in court this morning for arraignment on 2counts of 1st degree escape and 1 count of promoting prison contraband. Sweat did not enter a plea in Clinton County Court in Plattsburgh, so the judge entered a not guilty plea on his behalf. Sweat and Richard Matt escaped from the Clinton Correctional Facility, they were on the run for 22 days, Sweat was found June 28th where he was shot and wounded by a state trooper. Matt was shot and killed June 26th. Sweat has been transferred to another state facility, he is serving a life sentence for the murder of Broome County Sheriff's deputy Kevin Tarsia in 2002, and he faces court action again, on September 29th.

51-year-old Joyce Mitchell pleaded guilty to 2 charges in connection with helping inmates David Sweat and Richard Matt escape the Clinton Correctional Facility in June. Mitchell was a tailor shop instructor who provided the inmates with tools hidden in frozen hamburger meat, she pleaded guilty today to promoting prison contraband and criminal facilitation. She could serve a sentence of 2 1/2 to 7 years in prison.

Governor Cuomo released details last night in Malone, regarding the escape of David Sweat & Richard Matt from the Clinton County Correctional Facility in early June.

(Cuomo PM)

Matt was killed by Police Friday, Police caught Sweat last night, he is being treated in an Albany area hospital for 2 gunshot wounds. On June 27, 2015, an autopsy was conducted on the remains of Richard Matt at Albany Medical Center. The autopsy on Matt determined the cause of death to be severe skull fractures and brain injuries due to gunshot wounds to the head, Toxicology results are pending.

The hunt for fugitives David Sweat & Richard Matt ended yesterday, with Sweat being captured by State Police, 2 days after Police fatally shot Richard Matt. Governor Andrew Cuomo gave details of yesterdays apprehension at a press conference in Malone last night:

(Cuomo AM)

Sweat will be arraigned on a host of charges after his release from an Albany area hospital, the investigation into how Sweat & Matt escaped the Clinton County Prison continues.

State Police are continuing the search for escaped Clinton Correctional Facility inmates David Sweat and Richard Matt. To date, state, federal and local law enforcement officers have cleared more than 160 unoccupied buildings and seasonal homes, and have searched 585 miles of railroad beds and trails. Today’s search involves all available assets, including aviation and K9 units. As of Thursday, more than 1,500 leads have been generated. Law enforcement is reminding the public to remain vigilant, and call any information to 911, or 1-800-GIVETIP.

State Senate & Assembly Republicans have forwarded legislation to tighten up the restrictions on prison inmates, following the Richard Matt & David Sweat escape from the Clinton Correctional facility. Area Assemblyman Pete Lopez comments:

(Lopez 6-16-15)

The “Prisoner Privileges Limitation Law” seeks to prevent the violent convicts from having unfettered access to civilians at prisons and being able to wear civilian clothing while incarcerated, it would also take away a portion of the good behavior rewards program for the most violent felons, who committed crimes such as murder and rape.

Governor Cuomo directed Inspector General Catherine Leahy Scott to conduct a thorough investigation to determine all factors potentially involved in the escape of inmates Richard Matt and David Sweat from Clinton Correctional Facility. The Inspector General shall obtain the services of a respected outside expert in corrections and law enforcement on issues such as prison design, operations and security with a view toward identifying how these inmates were able to escape, and recommend any potential reforms and best practices to prevent future incidents. The Inspector General will then confer with law enforcement agencies & also refer any criminal conduct that may be uncovered to prosecutors.

State Police have arrested 51 year old Joyce Mitchell of Dickinson Center for providing material assistance to Richard Matt and David Sweat to assist them in escaping from Clinton Correctional Facility. Mitchell was charged with Promoting Prison Contraband and Criminal Facilitation

NOON NEWS UPDATE-FUGITIVES 6-11-15

State Police continue to search for escaped Clinton Correctional Facility inmates Richard Matt and David Sweat. The focus of the ground search today is a heavily wooded area off State Route 374, east of Dannemora. Search teams are following up on a lead that was developed late Wednesday. More than 500 law enforcement personnel, along with K9 and aviation units, The State Police are being assisted by the FBI, U.S. Marshals, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the Department of Corrections and Community Supervision, Department of Environmental Conservation, Forest Rangers, Clinton and Essex County Sheriff Departments, and the Plattsburgh Police Department.

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo and Vermont Governor Peter Shumlin held a joint news conference Wednesday afternoon in Dannemora, detailing the ways in which Vermont authorities are working to prepare in case David Sweat and Richard Matt headed there. David Sweat and Richard Matt escaped from the maximum-security prison Saturday, by drilling through a steel wall, crawled through a pipe and then escaped through a manhole cover outside, & they may have had help from a prison employee, Joyce Mitchell, according to State Police Superintendent Joseph D'Amico:

(D'Amico 1)

Sweat and Matt are still at large, & a $100,000 reward has been offered for information leading to their capture, Superintendent D'Amico urged the public to not take the law into their own hands:

(D'Amico 2)

Sweat was in prison for the 2002 murder of Broome County deputy Kevin Tarsia; Matt was in prison for Kidnapping & murder in Niagara County.

State Police continue to investigate leads in the search for David Sweat & Richard Matt, who escaped Saturday from the Clinton Correctional Facility. Leads continue to be generated along the Clinton and Essex County border and Members of law enforcement will be going door to door in and around the surrounding area and checking homes and seasonal residences. The State Police have deployed more than 440 corrections and law enforcement officers are involved in the region.

The State Police, Department of Corrections and Community Supervision, the DEC, Forest Rangers, U.S. Marshals, and the FBI have teamed up to conduct grid searches in Clinton County & into the North Country, to locate fugitives David Sweat and Richard Matt. Police concentrated their efforts this afternoon in Willsboro New York in Essex County; law enforcement in the Southern tier is also keeping up the search, as Sweat has ties to Broome County. Anyone with information should call 911, local law enforcement agencies, or State Police at 1-800 GIVETIP.

State Police continue to search for the two prisoners who escaped from the Clinton Correctional Facility in Dannemora, 34-year old David Sweat and 48-year old Richard Matt were reported missing from the facility early Saturday. Approximately 300 leads have been developed since the escape was reported; State Police continue to investigate leads and tips that have been generated by this investigation. Contact 911, your local law enforcement agency, or the New York State Police to report any information related to this investigation at 1-800-GIVETIP or crimetip@troopers.ny.gov.

New York State is offering a $100,000 reward for information leading to the apprehension and arrest of Richard Matt and David Sweat, who escaped from the Clinton correctional facility. Governor Andrew Cuomo commented:

(Cuomo 6-8-15)

David Sweat is 34 years old; white, 5’11” tall, 165 pounds, brown hair and green eyes, with tattoos on his left bicep and his right fingers. Sweat is serving a sentence of life without parole for the Murder of Broome County Deputy Kevin Tarsia on July 4, 2002. Richard Matt is 48 years old, white, 6’ tall, 210 pounds, with black hair and hazel eyes. He has tattoos on his back: “Mexico Forever”, a heart on his chest and left shoulder, and a Marine Corps insignia on his right shoulder, he is serving a sentence of 25 years to life for 3 counts of murder, 3 counts of kidnapping, and 2 counts of robbery after he kidnapped a male victim and caused his death on December 3, 1997. Both are considered dangerous, if located DO NOT approach them, call 911.

The Chenango county sheriffs department 35 year old Richard Taft of Greene for 2nd degree Unlawful Surveillance. Taft is accused of covertly recording a victim without their knowledge or consent, he was processed and arraigned in the Village of Green Court and remanded to the Chenango County Correctional Facility on $1,000 cash bail.

The Ottawa Senators announced today that they have signed Binghamton Senators head coach Luke Richardson to a one-year contract extension. Also receiving one-year extensions are assistant coaches Steve Stirling and Matt Meacham. Richardson led an inexperienced Binghamton team to a 44-24-1-7 record in his rookie season as a head coach, finishing fourth in the AHL's Eastern Conference.