ST. JOHNS COUNTY, Fla. — Two St. Johns County inmates face several new charges after plotting and attempting an escape from jail, says the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office (SJSO).
According to SJSO, 38-year-old Joseph Izzi and 20-year-old Joseph Silcott actively worked on executing an escape plan within their cell. Both planned to create a hole in the wall of their cell as an exit route after breaking the toilet and sink from the wall. They broke the glass window and flushed the evidence. Investigators believe that the inmates’ strategy was to get more contraband using the open window via drone. A saw blade was requested along with narcotics to be flown through the window during a recorded call.
Both inmates were in the same cell on multiple felony charges before the escape attempt. Izzi was previously arrested for multiple felonies, including Human Trafficking and Child Sex Crimes. Silcott was arrested on charges of Robbery with a Firearm, Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon, and Resisting. Silcott nor Izzi had a bond.
SJSO says on May 16, Izzi informed staff that Silcott had a weapon and threatened him with it. Both were separated and questioned. Following a search of the cell, numerous metal objects, including two with a sharpened edge, were found.
After detectives learned about the escape plan, camera footage and phone calls were reviewed. Witnesses in the cell block were interviewed.
The following were found during the investigation:
- Six (6) metal objects were located in the cell. The metal objects were broken off the windowsill that held the window in place as well as removed from a mop bucket.
- The sink/toilet apparatus was damaged and removed from the wall and the inmates used toilet paper, soap and toothpaste to create a caulking substance to conceal their plan of escape.
- Camera footage showed both inmates actively involved in damaging the toilet and breaking the window. It also captured them sweeping up and flushing the glass.
- Both inmates were seen in possession of weapons and escape tools on different dates and times.
- Witnesses gave sworn statements stating both inmates had an escape plan and weapons in their cell.
- Izzi ultimately gave a full post-Miranda confession regarding both Silcott’s and his actions, plans and specific details about the contraband drop via drone.
- SJSO Inmate Communications located evidence on Silcott’s recorded phone call requesting contraband be delivered via drone to further their progress on the escape plan.
Also, SJSO reports that additional evidence revealed that the partnership between Silcott and Izzi soured after Silcott became aware of Izzi’s Human Trafficking and Child Sex Crimes charges. Silcott allegedly threatened Izzi with an edged weapon. This incident supposedly prompted Izzi to come forward in fear of Silcott, which led to a search, exposing the premeditated escape plan.
Izzi was charged with Attempted Escape, Conspiracy to Commit Escape, Possession of Contraband for Escape in County Detention Facility (two counts), Criminal Mischief ($1,000 or more), Tampering with Physical Evidence, and False Information to Law Enforcement.
Silcott was charged with Aggravated Assault in County Jail or Detention Facility, False Imprisonment, Attempted Escape, Conspiracy to Commit Escape, Criminal Mischief ($1,000 or more), Possession of Contraband for Escape in County Detention Facility (five counts), and Attempt to Introduce Contraband into a County Detention Facility (three counts).
“𝘈𝘯 𝘦𝘴𝘤𝘢𝘱𝘦 𝘢𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘮𝘱𝘵 𝘪𝘴 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘢𝘨𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘺 𝘵𝘢𝘬𝘦𝘴 𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘴𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘰𝘶𝘴𝘭𝘺. 𝘞𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘵𝘰𝘭𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘪𝘯𝘮𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘴 𝘢𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘮𝘱𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰 𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘯 𝘢𝘯 𝘦𝘴𝘤𝘢𝘱𝘦 𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘴𝘦 𝘩𝘦𝘭𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮. 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘪𝘯𝘷𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘨𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘪𝘴 𝘰𝘯𝘨𝘰𝘪𝘯𝘨, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘨𝘦𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘩𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘨. 𝘌𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘣𝘦 𝘩𝘦𝘭𝘥 𝘢𝘤𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘚𝘵. 𝘑𝘰𝘩𝘯𝘴 𝘊𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘺,” 𝘴𝘢𝘪𝘥 𝘚𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘧𝘧 𝘙𝘰𝘣 𝘏𝘢𝘳𝘥𝘸𝘪𝘤𝘬.
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