Jose Luis Gonzales Franco, Inmate Who Escaped, Back in Jail

Should have pedaled faster

​Jose Luis Gonzales Franco is back in Santa Rita jail today after a brief taste of freedom when he escaped his cell yesterday afternoon after returning from court.

The 57-year-old robbery suspect managed to slip past whoever was supposed to be watching sometime after 2 p.m. Someone called the Sheriff's Office, claiming to have seen an inmate running from the jail. Deputies spent hours scouring the area on foot, with cars, and with helicopters, looking for Franco. They eventually called off the search, hoping to give Franco a false sense of security so he would feel safe enough to start looking for a place to sleep for the night.

At about 9:30 p.m., deputies told reporters that they spotted Franco pedaling around on a stolen bike not far from the jail.
He was taken into custody and is now back in his cell, but this time on no bail.

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