Texas Man Who Escaped From Prison, Twice, Sentenced To 35 Years For An Array Of Charges
NORTH TEXAS (CBSDFW.COM) — He escaped from law enforcement custody in Texas -- twice -- now a Lubbock man has been sentenced to more than 35 years in federal prison for gun and drug crimes.
Mark Anthony Lucio pleaded guilty to escaping federal custody, conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, possession of a firearms by a convicted felon, possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number.
On Thursday a U.S. District Judge sentenced him to 425 months in federal prison... more than 35 years.
According to court documents, a Texas DPS trooper encountered Lucio during a traffic stop in 2019 when he attempted to evade officials and lead them on a high-speed chase through Lubbock. After traveling through an alley, Lucio and the passenger ditched the vehicle and ran away on foot.
Lucio was arrested after he jumped a fence into a nearby backyard. Lucio, 40, and the passenger in the vehicle were put in handcuffs and placed into separate vehicles.
Officers searched the backyard where Lucio was arrested and found three bags of methamphetamine totaling approximately 300 grams. Two loaded handguns in and nearby Lucio's vehicle.
When officers returned to their patrol cars, they found that Lucio had escaped. He remained a fugitive until November 22, 2019, when he was arrested by police in Lubbock.
In December 2019, Lucio was charged for firearm and drug crimes which he later pleaded guilty to in June 2020. While awaiting sentencing, he was held at the Bailey County Jail in Muleshoe, Texas.
Juan Anthony Cordero, 25, visited Lucio at the Bailey jail and during a conversation, which was recorded by the jail, Lucio detailed a prison escape that was to happen the next day. The plan included a designated time and what vehicle Cordero was to drive.
The following day, Lucio called Cordero minutes before the planned escape and advised him to be on alert. Shortly after, Lucio crawled under a sally port door and ran into a waiting vehicle driven by Cordero.
The Hale County Sheriff's Office later found the vehicle in Plainview. Cordero told US Marshals that he gave Lucio a weapon and dropped him off in Abernathy, Texas. Lucio was later found in the town, with the firearm Cordero had given him.
Cordero was sentenced to 14 months in federal prison for assisting Lucio's escape.
