Delta Correctional Center Inmate Escapes, Captured In New Mexico

An inmate who escaped from the Delta Correctional Center has been captured in New Mexico.

Delta Escapee Steals Vehicle and Heads South

According to the Colorado Department of Corrections,  56-year-old Timothy O'Brien escaped from the Delta facility by stealing a vehicle from his assigned community worksite and cutting off his electronic ankle monitor. His last known location was in Durango at around noon on Saturday. The alert from the Department of Corrections did not indicate exactly when O'Brien went missing, but it appears that his freedom lasted only a few short hours.

Escapee Captured Nearly 200 Miles Away

After conducting an active search for O'Brien, he was located in Farmington, New Mexico, about 180 miles from Delta. O'Brien was being returned to Colorado where he will face new charges in connection with the escape.

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Escapee Was One Year Away From Possible Parole

O'Brien was serving a 16-year sentence on charges of aggravated robbery in Chaffee County and is now likely to have his sentence extended. He had been incarcerated since 2011 and was scheduled for a parole hearing in August of 2023, with parole eligibility in November of next year. O'Brien had previously been sentenced to four years in prison on other charges in 2008.

Delta Facility Houses Nearly 500 Inmates

The Delta Correctional Center sits on 113 acres 9 miles west of Delta. The facility has been in operation since 1963. According to the Colorado Department of Corrections website, the minimum security facility currently houses a population of 480 inmates.