MONROE — Authorities apprehended a Monroe prisoner Monday night in Seattle, more than three days after he escaped from the prison.
On Friday, Patrick Lester Clay, 59, escaped the minimum security unit of the Monroe Correctional Complex. Clay was working as a porter outside the facility when he broke into a staff member’s office through a window, stole their car keys and drove away in their white GMC Sierra, according to the state Department of Corrections.
Early Monday morning, police reported finding the Sierra in Seattle’s Central District neighborhood.
That night, police took Clay back into custody in the Beacon Hill neighborhood, authorities said. The prison plans to place him in restrictive housing.
Clay had a release date of Dec. 24, 2025, with convictions for burglary, malicious mischief, harassment and theft, according to the state Department of Corrections.
He now faces potential charges of escape and auto theft, according to prison officials.
Corrections said the prison will participate in a “critical incident review” to see if it needs to make any improvements to avoid future escapes.
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