Search continues for ‘armed and dangerous’ prison escapees in Mississippi

Published 7:44 am Monday, July 8, 2019

Law enforcement officers were still searching Monday morning for two “armed and dangerous” inmates who escaped from a Jackson-area prison.

Early Friday 31-year-old Jonathan Blankenship and 28-year-old Christopher Benson High, who escaped from the Central Mississippi Correctional Facility in Rankin County.

Blankenship was serving five years for conspiracy and aggravated assault on a police officer in Alcorn County. He has a heavily tattooed forehead and throat, and smaller cheek tattoos.

Subscribe to our free email newsletter

Get the latest news sent to your inbox

High was serving 12 years for burglary of an unoccupied dwelling in Carroll County.

The FBI has offered $10,000 reward for information leading to their capture and Crime Stoppers has pitched in with an additional. $2,500.

WLBT-TV reported early Monday that agencies were working leads from someone who believed the men may be located off Pearson Road, just south of Interstate 20 in Rankin County.

Anyone who seeing the men are asked to avoid contact as the pair is considered armed and dangerous. Instead report any sightings or information to the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation at 601-987-1530, MDOC at 601-745-6611, or Crimestoppers at 601-355- TIPS(8477).

The Mississippi Department of Corrections announce Friday afternoon that all state prisons were on lockdown meaning no visitation is allowed and all other privileges are halted.

Another inmate, who also escaped Friday morning, but from a different state prison, was captured late Saturday night.

Benny Ray Blansett, 59, was taken into custody without incident, MDOC officials reported, just before 11 p.m. at a checkpoint in Sunflower County.

He has been returned to the State Penitentiary at Parchman and will face an escape charge. He’s serving a life sentence for forgery, aggravated assault on a police officer, burglary, and escape from the Marion and Sunflower county jails.