By David Trinko
The Lima News, Ohio
LIMA, Ohio — Allen Oakwood Correctional Institution replaced an open-top trash receptacle with a sealed trash compactor, installed more security cameras and reduced access to certain areas of the prison following the escape of two prisoners in May.
The Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction issued its final investigative report Friday afternoon. According to the 67-page document, three officers still may face disciplinary action, although the chief of security returned to duty from administrative leave.
Authorities apprehended James Lee, 47, on May 28 after he failed to pull over for a traffic stop in Hendersonville, Kentucky. In October, he pleaded guilty to several charges, including evading police, wanton endangerment and failure to pull over during a traffic stop. Lee, who was originally imprisoned on burglary and safecracking charges, is now in custody at Southern Ohio Correctional Facility.
Bradley Gillespie, 50, who escaped on foot after that traffic stop, had his lifeless body found in the Ohio River on May 28. He had been imprisoned since 2016 for murder.
The report includes photographs of Lee and Gillespie climbing out of a trash receptacle as it was on its way to the Rumpke Refuse transfer station at 1400 S. Metcalf St. , Lima, at 11:46 a.m. Monday, May 22, nearly 20 hours before authorities raised an alarm of the missing inmates. The duo later stole a car in Auglaize County, just south of the Allen County line.
The investigation found four officers who worked in the housing unit didn’t follow proper procedures when they conducted prisoner counts. A supervisor also failed to ensure a proper re-count after a discrepancy was found in the evening count. ODRC Director Annette Chambers-Smith met with Allen Oakwood leaders to reinforce the importance of accurate counts.
Derrick Coil, a probationary employee as a correction officer, was removed from duty, according to the ODRC.
Correction officers Taylor Robey and Tre’Mon Glenn-Crawford will be presented with pre-disciplinary packets to determine whether further action is necessary. They remain on administrative leave and will be given at least three days’ notice before a pre-disciplinary hearing.
Capt. Brian McGraw will also be presented with a pre-disciplinary packet to see if further action is needed.
One of the other officers on administrative leave, Lain Patterson, died unexpectedly on Oct. 5.
Carl Bendross, the chief of security at the prison, returned to active duty from administrative leave without any further action taken.
Staff inside the facility had asked back in March 2023 to fix a broken trash compactor, citing concerns about the potential security risks of open-top trash receptacles. The facility began having issues in June 2022 with the trash compactors. The open-top trash receptacles were brought in instead.
That concern proved to be prophetic, as Gillespie and Lee can be seen on surveillance video outside the prison crawling out of the trash receptacle as it was on its way to Rumpke.
Officials later found objects under a blanket to give the appearance of someone sleeping in a Gillespie’s bed, finding a handwritten note referring to an escape.
Prison officials also installed additional video cameras for security and reduced accessibility to certain areas of the prison. Special identification is now required of incarcerated prisoners to access specific areas.
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