Prison worker faces jail for New York prison escape plot

A northern New York prison worker has admitted to smuggling hacksaw blades in frozen hamburger meat to two killers who later broke out and spent more than two weeks on the run.

Joyce Mitchell, 51, a tailor shop instructor at Clinton Correctional Facility, wept as she pleaded guilty to first-degree promoting prison contraband, a felony, and misdemeanour fourth-degree criminal facilitation.

Mitchell faces up to seven years in jail under terms of a plea deal with prosecutors. Her lawyer said his client won’t be able to post the bail set by the judge at $100,000 (€90,435) cash.

Mitchell was jailed shortly after the June 6 escape of Richard Matt and David Sweat.

Matt was shot and killed by searchers on June 26, about 50km west of the prison; Sweat was captured near the Canadian border two days later and sent to another prison. Mitchell was suspended without pay when she was arrested on June 12.

She admitted providing hacksaw blades, chisels, a punch tool and a screwdriver to Matt. Authorities say she became close to the pair, agreed to be their getaway driver, and even discussed killing her husband.

But she backed out at the last moment, forcing Matt and Sweat to flee on foot after they emerged from a manhole near the prison.

Authorities said she smuggled the contraband into the prison by hiding them in frozen meat she placed in a fridge in the tailor shop. They said corrections officer Gene Palmer then took the meat to Sweat and Matt, who were housed in a section where inmates are allowed to cook their meals.

Authorities do not believe Palmer knew of the escape plan. He was released on bail after being arrested on charges including promoting prison contraband.