By Owen Boss
Boston Herald
SOMEVILLE, Mass. — Escaped prisoner James Morales has been arrested in Somerville after a brief foot chase, state police say.
“Escaped fugitive James Walter Morales is in custody,” state police posted to their Twitter page about 4 p.m. “Arrested in Somerville minutes ago. Developing. We will update.”
Arrest was made by MSP Troop A Community Action Team trooper. Police in the area after a second attempted bank robbery in Somerville.
— Mass State Police (@MassStatePolice) January 5, 2017
The tweet came hours after a man matching Morales’ description tried to rob a Cambridge bank, prompting a manhunt involving state, local, and federal officials.
Morales was arrested by Trooper Joseph Merrick, who spotted Morales near Route 28 on Mystic Avenue and chased him on foot for about two blocks before taking him into custody, state police say.
Merrick was searching the area after authorities were alerted to a second attempted bank robbery in Somerville.
Morales, a 35-year-old former Army reservist and suspected child rapist, broke out of the Donald W. Wyatt Detention Facility in Central Falls, Rhode Island Saturday.
He was facing numerous charges in connection with the theft of 16 weapons from the U.S. Army Reserve armory in Worcester, and with unrelated child rape and indecent assault charges in Middlesex Superior Court.
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