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U.S. Marshals Add New York Escapees To Most Wanted List

David Sweat, who escaped along with Richard Matt from the Clinton Correctional Facility in Dannemora, N.Y.
New York State Police
/
AP
David Sweat, who escaped along with Richard Matt from the Clinton Correctional Facility in Dannemora, N.Y.
Richard Matt, who escaped along with David Sweat.
/ AP
/
AP
Richard Matt, who escaped along with David Sweat.

The U.S. Marshals Service has added two men, who escaped from the Clinton Correctional Facility in Dannemora, N.Y., almost two weeks ago, to its Most Wanted fugitives list.

In a statement, U.S. Marshals Service Director Stacia Hylton said the list is reserved for "the worst of the worst."

"There is no question David Sweat and Richard Matt fall into this category," Hylton said. "While their brazen prison escape has left the public on edge, it has only ignited our sheer determination to bring them back to justice."

If you remember, Sweat and Matt pulled off a spectacular escape in the early hours of June 6. Authorities launched a major manhunt and charged a prison worker with "providing material assistance" to the two convicted killers.

NBC News reports that the search is still ongoing:

"State police say Thursday that as they expand their search area, officers have cleared more than 160 unoccupied buildings and seasonal homes. They also have searched 585 miles of railroad beds and trails.

"Troopers are asking homeowners and hunters in the area who have video surveillance or trail cameras to check their footage for signs of suspicious activity."

Copyright 2021 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.

Eyder Peralta is NPR's East Africa correspondent based in Nairobi, Kenya.