Steven C. Durant, a 55-year-old Arizona man, has been caught and sentenced for his 1997 escape from federal custody, according to local reports.
Durant was serving a 78-month sentence for a firearms violation when he was placed on supervised release in 1992. However, on March 21, 1997, he absconded from the Community Alternatives of the Black Hills after just one month of supervised release.
The brazen escape went unnoticed for over 16 years until Durant was finally captured by the U.S. Marshals Service in Arizona on September 10, 2013. He was subsequently indicted for escape on April 9, 1997, but managed to evade authorities until his capture.
On December 12, 2013, Durant pleaded guilty to the escape charge, and on May 5, 2014, Chief Judge Jeffrey L. Viken sentenced him to 18 months in custody, followed by 3 years of supervised release. Durant was also ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathryn N. Rich prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the U.S. Marshals Service.
Durant was immediately returned to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service after his sentencing.
Steven C. Durant’s 1997 escape will be remembered as one of the most brazen failures of the federal prison system in recent history.
The U.S. Marshals Service has faced criticism in the past for its handling of high-profile fugitives, and this case will only add fuel to that fire.
The community is breathing a collective sigh of relief now that Durant is back behind bars, but the question remains: what took so long to catch him?
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Key Facts
- State: South Dakota
- Category: Violent Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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