Whatcom sheriff’s office seeking 2 work crew inmates who reportedly escaped Monday
The Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office is seeking two minimum-security inmates that escaped from the in-custody work crew Monday near the intersection of Northwest and West Smith roads.
Escaping were Jonathan Emery Pickett, a 25-year-old from Ferndale, and Christopher James McCracken, a 24-year-old from Blaine, according to an email to The Bellingham Herald from Undersheriff Doug Chadwick.
The escape occurred at approximately noon Oct. 19, according to a sheriff’s office release, and both men ignored orders to stop.
Neither has been captured, Chadwick reported, though deputies remain in the area and continue to investigate and follow up on information they receive.
“Due to their actions, there is probable cause for (first-degree) escape for both men,” Chadwick wrote.
Pickett is described as white, 5-foot-10, 180 pounds with brown shoulder-length hair, according to the release, and he was last known to be wearing a Kennedy Space Center jacket and blue jeans.
Pickett was in custody for a violation of a no-contact order and was scheduled to be released Oct. 31, according to the release. Whatcom County Superior Court records show he also has previous convictions for assault, criminal impersonation, making a false statement to a public servant and bail jumping.
McCracken is described as white, 5-8, 140 pounds with short brown hair and last known to be wearing a dark-colored hoodie and blue jeans, according to the release.
McCracken began serving a nine-month sentence on Sept. 24 for a second-degree burglary conviction for breaking into a Blaine storage facility in August, court records show. He’s also awaiting a trial scheduled to begin Nov. 16 on first-degree possession of stolen property charges for allegedly having a stolen cargo trailer on property he lived on in April.
Anyone with information about the whereabouts of Pickett and/or McCracken is asked to call 911, according to the release.
This story was originally published October 19, 2020 at 3:42 PM.
