Man accused of sexually assaulting horse escapes jail in Colorado
You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t sexually assault it, then break out of jail, apparently. Jonah Barrett-Lesko — allegedly filmed molesting a horse in June — was run down by law enforcement officials Tuesday after he escaped a Durango, Colo., jail that had him locked up on trespassing...
Man accused of sexually assaulting horse escapes jail in Colorado
Brian Niemietz, New York Daily News
Thu, September 23, 2021, 3:27 PM
You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t sexually assault it, then break out of jail, apparently.
Jonah Barrett-Lesko — allegedly filmed molesting a horse in June — was run down by law enforcement officials Tuesday after he escaped a Durango, Colo., jail that had him locked up on trespassing charges stemming from a string of robberies. He was apprehended this time in a nearby creek wearing just his underwear following a 26-minute pursuit, the Durango Herald reports.
After being alerted the 25-year-old suspect had been spotted rushing past a Home Depot wearing a jail uniform, Durango police began their manhunt. At some point, Barrett-Lesko shed his jumpsuit. Police say that made spotting him even easier. He was soon apprehended.
“They ran through the river a couple of times, and then out into the middle of the river,” police spokesman Ray Shupe said. “They had enough officers down there that surrounded him.”
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Barrett-Lesko is believed to have made his break from the jail’s recreational yard, where he was separated from other inmates, due to “keep-separate orders,” police said. They also said there’s video of him climbing a wall and escaping through a hole in a fence.
The suspect was reportedly arrested in late spring on suspicion of sexual misconduct involving a horse at the La Plata County Fairgrounds. The four-legged victim’s caretaker documented the assault on a cellphone app linked to a camera in the animal’s stall. After making bail, Barrett-Lesko was picked up again after a half-dozen bicycles went missing. He is also suspected of breaking into a car and shoplifting.
He pleaded guilty to felony burglary last month and was awaiting sentencing Friday, when he made his break. The Herald reports that he was looking at a sentence of up to five years in prison, though probation was a possibility. He now faces a felony escape charge.
Durango Police Chief Bob Brammer was one of the officers who got his uniform wet luring Barrett-Lesko back into custody. Brammer called the suspect a “prime example” of someone who needs to be in jail.
