Sheriff's officials appeal to public in hunt for escaped OC jail inmates

Orange County Sheriff officials are asking the community for help in finding three inmates that escaped Friday from Central Men's Jail in Santa Ana.

Because at least one of the inmates is a documented Vietnamese gang member, investigators say there's a possibility that the escapees could have made contact with the gangs.

Jonathan Tieu, 20, was in jail for attempted murder. Bac Duong, 43, was charged with attempted murder and weapons violations.

At a press conference Monday morning, investigators said they are putting pressure on the gang Tieu belongs to. 

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The third inmate, 37-year-old Hossein Nayeri, was being held on charges of kidnapping and torture.

OC Sheriff's Lt. Jeff Hallock said they are pleading for the public's help "because we know someone out there knows something."

Hallock said it's unclear if the three men had help, but their escape was clearly a "well-planned scheme."

The men managed to breach at least four different metal barriers to get into the plumbing tunnels and then up to the roof, where they used a rope made of bed sheets and clothes that had been tied together.

About 16 hours elapsed before authorities discovered the inmates were missing.

Hallock said that's because the inmates likely slipped away shortly after the morning head count at 5 a.m., and the next physical count didn't occur until 8 p.m.

Only two physical counts occur each day, in part because the way the jail is constructed makes it difficult to do them any more frequently, Hallock said. 

The jail was built in 1968 using an older design with large cells and tanks. Inmates have to be physically moved to receive dental, medical and other services. Newer facilities use modular housing that allows service providers to come to them, Hallock said.

Between the two physical counts, there is an administrative "paper count," in which inmate names on jail and housing records are cross-referenced.

At least 30 search warrants have been executed but still no capture.

It's unclear whether the men are still together or have separated, but they did not appear to be in regular contact before the escape. It's possible they've split up by now, said Lenny DePaul, a retired chief inspector of the U.S. Marshals fugitive task force in New York and New Jersey.

Two prisoners who were the targets of a manhunt in upstate New York, for instance, had much closer contact before they escaped, DePaul told KPCC's AirTalk.

"Their cells were next to each other, and they ate together, they were in the gym together, they did everything together. I don't think these three guys were that close," DePaul said.

The longer the men are on the run, the more likely they are to get comfortable and start making mistakes, which could work in investigators favor, Craig Caine, another retired Marshall, told AirTalk.

On the other hand, Caine added, the two men of Vietnamese background could be hard to find if they manage to integrate into the community. Law enforcement can find it difficult to infiltrate some Asian communities, because they tend to be tight-knit, and people who are undocumented or working on a green card may be less likely to offer assistance for fear of bringing unwanted attention, Caine said.

Only two previous escapes have occurred from the Santa Ana jail's 48-year history, the latest occurring in 1989.

So far, officials say no sheriff personnel have been taken off duty or suspended. They don't have evidence someone from the inside was involved but an investigation into has been opened.

Officials warned that the men should be considered very dangerous.

Authorities are offering $50,000 for tips leading to the apprehension of the three inmates.

This story has been updated.