A Pennsylvania fugitive, who escaped from prison earlier this month, has been found by police after nine days on the run.
Michael Charles Burham was captured in a wooded area in Warren County’s Conowingo Township after residents reported a suspicious character in the area to the Pennsylvania State Police before 4:00 p.m., according to Lt. Col. George Bivens.
Burham, 34, who was previously described by police as “dangerous” with military experience and survivalist skills, escaped Warren County Prison on July 6. He had been held there on arson and burglary charges.
Bivens stated, “Burham was discovered by a married couple at the back of their property after they heard their dog barking. They drove their golf cart to check the area, when they came across Burham, who was wearing his prison clothes inside out. He told the couple he was just out camping.”
“The owner of the property recognized him, got his wife back into the golf cart and drove away from there so that he could immediately contact us as Burham fled into the woods,” Bivens continued. “Officers then were dispatched to the scene, using tracking dogs, they discovered Burham tired and worn out.”
Authorities prepared an isolation cell at Warren County Jail for Burham upon his recapture. Burham is expected to remain there for the weekend and then he will be transferred to a different prison (the one he originally escaped from).
Bivens added, “Burham did not have any weapons on him at the time of his capture. We are still doing a thorough search around the area he was found to recover as many items pertaining to him as possible.”
Law enforcement footage of Burham shortly after his capture shows the prisoner wearing a light yellow T-shirt and pants, with his hands behind his back as an officer is leading him out of the wooded area. Burham is followed by a dozen other officers in the clip.
“His capture is a great relief,” Bivens said. “All of us were always concerned that we would end up with a citizen harmed in some way, or even one of the officers harmed. You’re always worried about things like that, so to not have that play out, it’s a good day.”
Burham’s escape was confirmed in a press conference on July 7. He was said to have last been seen at around 11:20 p.m. on July 6 wearing an orange/white striped jumpsuit, a denim jacket and Crocs shoes.
Warren County spokesperson Cecile Stelter said Burham had made his escape in the recreational yard by “elevating himself” on top of exercise equipment in order to reach the metal-grated roof, before lowering himself to the ground using bedsheets tied together. He then fled the prison on foot.
Federal, state and local agencies launched a search using motorized vehicles and K-9 units on the ground, as well as aerial resources including drones and aircraft, per Jamestown Police.
