Jail staffers catch Jesse Maloney in the ceiling above the control room during the reported escape attempt.
Justen J. Collins
Joseph P. Martinez
Bryce W. Schmidt
William N. Brown Sr.
Centerview – Johnson County deputies foiled five Johnson County Jail inmates attempting to escape on New Year’s Eve, Sheriff Scott Munsterman said Thursday.
Munsterman said the inmates pried open a door in a dorm connected to the control room. He said the inmates are not allowed in that room.
Munsterman said deputies located Jesse N. Maloney, 36, 15 SW 265th Road, in the false ceiling above the control room.
The county held Maloney on a class C felony assault charge, and class D felony charges of unlawful use of a weapon and resisting/interfering with arrest for a felony.
“He climbed up on top of a shelf that holds supplies and got into the false ceiling, and attempted to get into the property room,” Munsterman said.
The property room is where the jail holds all items the inmates possess when arriving at the jail.
“I commend all my officers that were working because they were on the floor doing their checks,” Munsterman said.
He said Maloney is one of five caught during the incident.
“After an extensive search of the video, our jail administrator located the other individuals in the property room at a certain time,” Munsterman said.
Deputies also arrested Bryce W. Schmidt, 36, Springfield; Joseph P. Martinez, 19, Lee’s Summit; Justen J. Collins, 21, 410 E. Gay St., Warrensburg; and William N. Brown, 26, Rockville.
Bond was set at $10,000 for Schmidt, Collins and Martinez; $20,000 for Maloney; and $40,000 for Brown.
The jail held Schmidt on a class D felony charge of possession of a controlled substance, and on three class A misdemeanor charges of unlawful use of drug paraphernalia; Collins, a class C felony charge, tampering with a motor vehicle; Brown, class C felony charges for domestic assault, possession of a firearm, and class D felony charges of unlawful use of a weapon and driving while revoked/suspended; and Martinez, two counts of class D felony charges of passing a bad check.
Maloney, Brown, Martinez and Collins are all charged with a class B felony, aiding the escape of a prisoner confined for a felony, and class D felony, escape or attempted escape from confinement for their roles in the attempted escape.
Schmidt is charged with class B felony, aiding the escape of a prisoner confined for a felony.
“The jailers and deputies that were working did an outstanding job,” Munsterman said.
He said staff placed the jail on lockdown during the attempted escape.
“Everyone was accounted for after the jailers located the individual in the ceiling,” Munsterman said. “No one came in and no one left until everyone was accounted for.”
He said no one left the campus during that time.
Munsterman said his staff is in constant contact with inmates.
He said additional charges may result for others who might have aided the attempted escape.
