Two Detainees Escape Third-Party Transport Near Alice; Multi-Agency Search Underway

Two male detainees escaped custody while being transported from the Falfurrias U.S. Border Patrol checkpoint toward the Coastal Bend Detention Center in Robstown, then were located hiding in thick brush near the intersection of FM 1930 and FM 1352 off South Highway 281 just outside Alice. Jim Wells County Sheriff Joseph “Guy” Baker confirmed both men have been apprehended and returned to Border Patrol custody in Falfurrias.

The search began in the evening, with responders arriving around 7 p.m., and stretched into a hours-long operation that ended late Wednesday night when deputies located the two men in brush near FM 1930 and FM 1352. “Sheriff Joseph ‘Guy’ Baker … said the suspects were located hiding in thick brush near the intersection of FM 1930 and FM 1352 off South Highway 281,” the sheriff’s statement said.

Multiple agencies converged on the scene. U.S. Border Patrol personnel responded immediately and the Border Patrol Drone Team deployed aerial support, while the Jim Wells County Sheriff’s Office, Alice Police Department and Texas Department of Public Safety assisted on the ground. DPS K-9 tracking units and DPS aircraft were used alongside local constables and Game Wardens; Brooks County Sheriff’s Office and Jim Wells County Constable Precinct #6 also joined the manhunt. Sheriff Baker credited interagency cooperation and communication for the safe outcome.

Authorities say the two detainees were being transported by a third-party contractor after pickup at the Falfurrias checkpoint and were en route to the Robstown-area Coastal Bend Detention Center when they left the vehicle and fled into brush. “Authorities have not released descriptions of the suspects or details on how the detainees escaped from the transport vehicle,” law enforcement statements note, and no identities or prior custodial charges have been released.

After capture, the detainees were returned to Border Patrol custody in Falfurrias and are expected to face escape-related charges Thursday morning. “The detainees are being returned to Border Patrol custody in Falfurrias and are expected to face escape-related charges Thursday morning,” officials said.

Community reaction on local social media raised questions about restraint procedures during transport; one commenter asked, “Investigate the driver weren’t they cuffed and shackled during transport.” Authorities have not publicly released whether restraints were in use or the name of the third-party transport contractor, and investigators have not provided further details on the mechanics of the escape. Journalists and neighbors seeking updates should check statements from the Jim Wells County Sheriff’s Office and U.S. Border Patrol for any new information.