Escaped Carson City felon begins preliminary hearing

A preliminary hearing began Thursday for Duffy and Sarah Thomas, two siblings who are being charged in association with a felony escape from April 20.

Duffy was arrested on suspicion of attempted escape by a felony prisoner, and two counts of grand larceny after he allegedly agreed to be a confidential informant for the Carson City Sheriff’s Department’s Special Enforcement Team.

Duffy allegedly attempted to double-cross the deputies and escape with $850 cash and a police wire given to Duffy to use in the buy.

Duffy had been arrested previously that day for a warrant charge when he was allegedly found with methamphetamine in his jeans pocket. The SET team asked if he would be willing to be a confidential informant and Duffy agreed. When they dropped Duffy off for the buy, he evaded deputies and hid in his sister’s apartment to change his clothes.

Sarah was arrested on suspicion of with aiding felony prisoner to escape, concealing an escaped prisoner being held on felony charges, and custodian aid or assist escape of a prisoner after deputies found she allegedly helped Duffy evade police by giving him her clothes to wear.

At the hearing, the defense called four witnesses: Deputy Kevin Murry, Deputy Josh Chaney, Deputy Morgan Tucker and another man who was at the scene.

Argument arose in the courtroom over whether or not the siblings’ mother could be in the courtroom, as she was a potential witness for future proceedings. Judge Thomas Armstrong ruled the mother needed to leave and was not able to discuss the trial with anyone but a lawyer.

The court first questioned Murry, who arrested Duffy on the original warrant charge. He told the courtroom he had arrested Duffy and transported him back to the Sheriff’s Office before transferring Duffy to Deputy Chaney and the SET team.

The prosecution was able to question Chaney, however before the defense could question, the court called a recess to continue the hearing at a later date due to lack of time to finish Thursday.

Armstrong ruled that the defense can begin questioning Chaney and the rest of the witnesses at the continuation scheduled for May 8.