Judge calls for jury trial in case of escaped prisoner

The preliminary hearing for Duffy Thomas and Sarah Thomas, two siblings associated with an escape and theft from Carson City deputies, concluded on Friday with the judge ruling there was enough evidence for the case to go to trial.

An arraignment for the siblings is scheduled for May 18, and a trial date will be set at that time.

Duffy Thomas was arrested on April 10 for 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 earlier 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 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.

The preliminary hearing, which began May 1, concluded Friday afternoon after defense continued questioning Carson City Sheriff’s Office Deputy Josh Chaney, and both counsels also questioned Sgt. Daniel Gonzales, Deputy Morgan Tucker and Christopher Dutcher.

Dutcher’s apartment was the residence where Sarah Thomas was staying and where Duffy Thomas had gone to hide from the police on April 10.

During the prosecution’s closing argument, Melanie Porter asked the judge to add assisting to grand larceny as an additional charge for Sarah.

The judge ruled the charges be reduced from felony escape to misdemeanor escape due to the original arrest being for a misdemeanor warrant.

Duffy was charged with escape by a misdemeanor prisoner, two counts of theft for the stolen wire and money, and possession of a controlled substance for the methamphetamine.

Sarah was charged with accessory to felony grand larceny and aiding the escape of a misdemeanor prisoner.