Authorities are searching for an escaped inmate who, while in the kitchen, fled from a Ventura County jail Thursday night.
The inmate, identified as Jonathan Alfaro, 31, was awaiting trial at a pretrial detention center in Ventura on robbery charges, according to the Ventura County Sheriff's Department.
Alfaro was last seen at the loading dock. Authorities said he then “left” the facility around 7 p.m. Officers were immediately alerted and began searching the surrounding area.
All inmates sign escape clauses and many of them are authorized to work in prison facilities where security is limited. Alfaro was assigned to work in the kitchen.
Deputies say Alfaro is 5 feet 4 inches tall and weighs about 140 pounds. “There is no information to suggest that he is a danger to the public or a threat to the community,” the Sheriff's Department said.
Alfaro is described as having short black hair, a black beard and a black mustache. He was last seen wearing jail-issued blue jeans and an orange t-shirt.
Jonathan Alfaro, seen in a booking photo, “left” a Ventura detention center, authorities say.
(Ventura County Sheriff's Department)
The Sheriff's Department said the jail's classification unit thoroughly screens all inmates in custody for nonviolent crimes.
Police advise anyone who sees Alfaro not to attempt to make contact. Instead, people are urged to call 911 or their local police station immediately.
Anyone with information about Alfaro's whereabouts or details about the escape can call the Ventura County Sheriff's Department at (805) 654-9511.
