California felon escapes custody by simply strolling away from low-security work site

A California convict serving 10 years for a gun-fueled domestic-violence standoff with cops has escaped custody — by simply wandering off the grounds of his low-security work site.

Authorities have now launched a massive hunt for 35-year-old Santiago Duran, who strolled out of the Julius Klein Conservation Camp in the Los Angeles suburb of Azusa sometime before 2:45 p.m. Monday.

Prison officials first realized Duran’s absence around that time, according to a press release from the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. The release merely says that Duran “walked away” from the facility.

California inmate Santiago Duran escaped from Julius Klein Conservation Camp in Azusa by wandering off the grounds. CDCR

“Staff immediately initiated an emergency count, confirming Duran was not at the camp,” the release said. “Within minutes, agents from CDCR’s Office of Correctional Safety were directed to locate and apprehend Duran and notification was made to local law enforcement.”

Duran was about 18 months into his sentence over the 2022 stand-off with cops, who had been responding to a report of a domestic-abuse incident when the criminal confronted them with a handgun in Porterville, Calif., north of Bakersfield, according to the local CBS affiliate.

He was at the work site, which has a capacity of 125 inmates deemed low- to medium-risk, when he fled. Inmates at the camp are given a wide variety of jobs, including working on the grounds and performing maintenance duties.

It’s not the first time that an inmate has walked away from the facility.

A manhunt is underway for Duran in the area around the camp after authorities realized that the inmate “walked away.” Google Maps

In July 2023, inmate Evan Chezick pulled a similar escape, strolling off the grounds while no one was looking. He was recaptured five days later after authorities said he committed a home invasion.

The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation says 99 percent of escaped inmates end up getting recaptured.

Authorities are asking the public to be on the lookout for Duran, who was last seen wearing a long-sleeve white thermal top and gray sweatpants.

He is 5’7” tall and weighs 172 pounds.

He has black hair and brown eyes and is heavily tattooed.