JACKSONVILLE — On July 24, 2015 William Ruben Ebron was arrested and transported to the jail where he is currently housed. On August 24, 2015 investigators met with an inmate at the jail that is housed with Ebron. The inmate said he has had communication with Ebron and Ebron is discussing a plan to escape from the jail.
Ebron showed the inmate a shaped orange piece of plastic that Ebron represented as a hand cuff key. Ebron was concealing the orange piece of plastic hand cuff key in his mouth (upper lip gum area) and in his sock.
Ebron told the inmate he had actually tried the key during a time he was handcuffed for court. Ebron’s plan was to enter the jail van to go to court, utilize his handcuff key to unlock his handcuffs, open the van door, jump out and run away on foot to a nearby waiting vehicle.
Ebron said that his intended getaway driver was incarcerated, so he needed another driver. The inmate discussed getting a driver and escaping with Ebron. Ebron directed the inmate to have the getaway car placed east of the jail. Ebron told the inmate he believed the transport jail van exits the jail sally port and turns to the right.
The inmate knew this was not correct, however, he went along with Ebron. Ebron told the inmate they needed to get up early to watch the vans leave the jail. The inmate described and completed a drawing of the plastic key.
The inmate had a recorded conversation with Ebron. During this interaction, Ebron provided the inmate with the orange plastic handcuff key so the inmate could use it to escape with him. Ebron told the inmate he had another handcuff key for himself.
The inmate provided the key Ebron gave him to Law Enforcement. The same inmate had another recorded conversation with Ebron. During this recording Ebron again discussed the handcuff key, more specifically the need for him to do more grinding on it and to shave it a certain way to ensure its usability.
Ebron discussed having conducted a trial of the key on his handcuffs during his trip to court in Baker County, indicating that he found more room in one of his handcuffs than the other resulting in an unsuccessful attempt. The inmate told Ebron not to break the key and Ebron responded by telling the inmate “it” already has a tear in the top.
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Ebron also told the inmate if “they” take him back downstairs he was going to look and try to see something. After the second recording, the inmate told Law Enforcement about Ebron’s second handcuff key. Ebron showed him that key. The key was black and looked like a handcuff key.
During the conversations, the inmate made many statements regarding Ebron’s plan to escape, including references to streets, directions, and the handcuff key. Ebron never denied the statements regarding the escape plan or questioned the inmate as to what he was talking about.
The inmate told Ebron that when Ebron left for court in Baker County, the officers came straight to his cell and searched it. The inmate told Ebron this made him nervous because of the little orange thing Ebron had given him. Ebron laughed at the inmate.
Attempted Escape, Criminal Conspiracy, Unlawful Possession of a Concealed Handcuff Key, and Introduce/Smuggle Contaband into a Detention Facility are charges that have now been added.
