An Indian River County Jail inmate trusty, who was working at the annual sheriff’s barbeque to benefit Florida Sheriffs Youth Ranches, faces a felony escape charge for leaving his workstation to meet up with a woman in a portable toilet, according to an arrest affidavit.
The inmate, Hartley Elliot Sanchez, 35, was assigned March 4 to work the food serving line at the fundraiser, an event the sheriff’s office has hosted for more than 30 years.
When questioned, “Sanchez spontaneously, openly and freely stated he had sex with a female in the porta-potty,” the affidavit said.
Sanchez’s “unauthorized conjugal visit” was caught on outside surveillance cameras, the affidavit said.
As a condition of working at the fundraiser, Sanchez was prohibited from leaving the area where food was being served.
Sanchez, however, abandoned his post at 5:39 p.m., the affidavit said. He was observed walking to the portable toilets, which were about 150 feet away.
Video cameras captured him talking to two unknown women and then hugging one of them.
The woman he hugged went into one of the portable toilets. Sanchez was observed entering the same portable toilet soon after.
A few moments later, they each exited, one after the other.
Sanchez declined to name the woman, who was later identified as a former jail inmate, the affidavit said.
Sanchez was charged with one count of attempted escape. He is being held without bond.
He most recently was arrested in September and was in jail charged with felony petty theft, to which he pleaded not guilty. The court case is ongoing.
Jack Randall is TCPalm’s economy and real estate reporter. You can reach him at jack.randall@tcpalm.com.
This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: Florida inmate escapes to meet up with woman in porta-potty
Reporting by Jack Randall, Treasure Coast Newspapers / Treasure Coast Newspapers
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
