Greene County Prison escapees back in custody
FRANKLIN TWP. — Two Greene County Prison inmates that had escaped from the township lockup about noon Saturday were returned to jail cells by mid-afternoon.
Jason William Roe, 32, formerly of Daisytown, and Rocco J. Iocovone, 27, formerly of Glendale, Arizona, were apprehended in a wooded area near by prison about 2:30 p.m.
Trooper Barton Lemansky said after receiving notice of the escape, various law enforcement officers joined other troopers from the Waynesburg station and two aircraft to search the area.
“They were spotted from the air and police moved in,” said Lemansky. “They were taken in to custody without incident.”
Roe and Iocovone were arraigned on felony charges of escape by Magisterial District Judge Lee Watson.
Roe was returned to the Greene County Prison and Iocovone taken to the Washington County Prison.
Lemansky said that it is unknown how the pair escaped from the prison.
“Our first priority was to get them back into custody,” he said. “The investigation will reveal how they escaped.”
Roe is scheduled to appear for trial next month in the shooting death Cordele Edward Patterson.
According to police, Patterson was shot multiple times with a shotgun by Roe at a secluded hunting cabin in Greene County nearly a year ago.
He was charged by police with criminal homicide and aggravated assault.
Roe’s wife, Lana Kay Roe, was also charged in the death.
Iacovone was charged earlier this year in the robbery of a Greene County service station. In addition to two felony robbery charges and a single felony charge of fleeing from an officer, he was also charged with theft by unlawful taking, possession of an instrument of crime, reckless endangerment and other summary offenses.
In May, Iacovone entered a plea of guilty to various charges and is awaiting sentencing in the matter.
“We are glad to have them back in custody,” said Lemansky.