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'An oversight on our part': How did 2 inmates escape from Yellowstone County jail?

Inmates Escape through Window
Posted at 6:32 PM, Sep 12, 2022
and last updated 2022-09-13 11:08:56-04

BILLINGS — After almost 24 hours on the run, two escaped inmates were apprehended Monday afternoon by Billings law enforcement.

Yellowstone County Sheriff Mike Linder says the two men, 23-year-old Quincey Pfister and 31-year-old Cody Flesch, escaped through a dislodged window and climbed a fence at the Yellowstone County Detention Facility around 8:30 p.m. Sunday.

“Ultimately we found out they had breached a window. Not a window that opens, but it was probably an oversight on our part," Linder said Monday.

He added: "Something on our end that was overlooked that allowed this to happen. That has been addressed."

Both men have lengthy criminal histories with charges that include robbery, assault, and for Flesch, three other attempts at escape.

Court documents state in October 2021, Flesch attempted to escape from the Yellowstone County Detention Center by destroying and dislodging a window in his jail cell.

Linder would not say if this incident was similar to what happened Sunday night.

“I’m not going to discuss the scenario of how they got out or any of the details, just because of the security of the facility, we don’t share that information. But I will tell you that it’s a window they managed to get through and that has since been resolved," Linder said.

The two men were apprehended near the fairgrounds in Billings around 5 p.m. Monday.