Man accused of escaping jail by stealing bail documents

FARMINGTON — A Jay man is accused of escaping from jail by stealing his bail documents and destroying them, a state prosecutor said.

Benjamin Soho, 24, was indicted Tuesday on charges of escape and violation of condition of release relating to the Oct. 30 incident at the Franklin County jail in Farmington.

"It's alleged while at the holding facility in Farmington he stole bail documents — and destroyed them — that would have held him without bail," Assistant District Attorney James Andrews said Tuesday.

Soho had two sets of bail papers that were sent back to the jail after an appearance in court, he said. One set called for $500 cash bail on new criminal charges; the other ordered him to be held without bail on a motion for revocation of preconviction bail, Andrews said.

The jail's video security system shows Soho rifling through the bail documents and picking out a set, he said, while corrections officers were busy with other inmates returning from court.

"It was a very busy day," jail manager Doug Blauvelt said Wednesday. "There were seven people in the booking area that came back from court."

dperry@sunjournal.com