Prison Break Season: January 2008

Wednesday, January 2, 2008

FERNANDO SUCRE

Fernando Sucre was born in Chicago, IL and raised on the streets. Sucre managed to stay out of trouble until he was caught holding up a liquor store with an unloaded firearm. This crime was apparently carried out in order to secure enough cash to buy an engagement ring for his girlfriend of three years, Maricruz.

Sucre was sent to Fox River where he was a model prisoner. The only offense against him was sneaking out of his cell after hours, once again, for Maricruz.

As fate would have it, Scofield and Sucre became cellmates; making Sucre a player in Scofield’s escape plan.

After busting-out of Fox River, Sucre learned that Maricruz and his cousin Hector were going to be married in Las Vegas. In an attempt to stop the wedding, Sucre arrived at the chapel ahead of time, but Hector had notified the local Nevada authorities of Sucre’s likely arrival and Sucre was forced to flee the scene.

Sucre was also allegedly involved in an incident at the residence of Jeanette Owens. (The Tooele, Utah resident who was held hostage in her own home, while members of the Fox River eight dug up her garage in search of the elusive Westmoreland $5 million.)

According to FBI agents, he was last seen boarding a plane to cross the border. Other eyewitnesses claim to have seen him in Mexico, but he is currently at large.

"T-BAG" BAGWELL

Theodore Bagwell (T-Bag) has barely known life outside of correctional institutions. As a child, he was frequently cited for vandalism and cruelty to animals. Bagwell was sent to juvenile hall after he tried to burn down his fourth-grade teacher’s house. This first incarceration was where he was first introduced to a white supremacist gang known as the Alliance for Purity.

As Bagwell grew up, his crimes grew more serious, including assault with a deadly weapon and attempted murder, landing him in Alabama’s Donaldson maximum-security prison, where he immediately assumed a leadership position in the Alliance for Purity.

Upon his release from this first prison term, Bagwell went on a rampage. He embarked on a rape and murder spree across Alabama that included several teenage victims, earning him an appearance on the popular television series, America’s Most Wanted. Once captured, Bagwell’s attorney petitioned for his client to be incarcerated out of state to avoid re-establishing power in the Alliance for Purity. Bagwell then ended up in Fox River Penitentiary where the Alliance for Purity was non-existent. But the charismatic “T-Bag,” as he is now known, quickly established the Alliance as one of the most powerful gangs in the prison.

T-Bag’s time at Fox River was brief, but while there he managed to incite a riot and kill a guard in the process. After discovering Michael Scofield’s plan to escape, he weaseled his way onto the escape team and summarily broke out of Fox River.
Once “The Fox River Eight” escaped, it didn’t take long for T-Bag to take up some of his old habits again. His first victim, Dr. Marvin Gudat, was a veterinarian from a small clinic in Illinois. T-Bag murdered Gudat after forcing him to provide impromptu medical care for his recently severed hand. A Good Samaritan named Jerry Curtain offered Bagwell a ride from Nebraska to Utah and was later brutally beaten by Bagwell who made sexual advances toward Curtain’s daughter, Danielle.

From there T-Bag made it to Toole, Utah where he stole an archived map from the county clerk’s office and reunited with Michael Scofield and Lincoln Burrows to enter Jeanette Owens’ home in search of the Westmorland’s money. He apparently then made off with all of the cash.

Former Fox River C.O.’s Brad Bellick and Roy Geary apprehended T-Bag and tortured him in order to find out what he had done with Westmoreland’s money. T-Bag told them, but later was able to track down Geary and retrieve the cash. He then murdered Geary and framed Bellick for the crime..

T-Bag then fled to Panama and wound-up right where he started – in prison. He is currently held in Sona Prison, awaiting trial for the murder of a prostitute in Panama.

LINCOLN BURROWS

Lincoln Burrows’ life began a downward spiral at the age of 15. He dropped out of Morgan Park High School in the 10th grade, and immediately found himself in trouble with the law. Prior convictions include two months for Theft; three months for Criminal Damage to Property; six months for Battery; Six months for Possession of Drug Paraphernalia and ten months for Battery.

It seemed like the natural progression of things when Burrows was charged with the murder of Terrence Steadman, a Washington lobbyist and brother of President Carolyn Reynolds. He entered a plea of “not guilty” but the jury saw otherwise and he was sentenced to death by electrocution. Borrows would wait out his remaining days at Fox River Penitentiary.

Although the evidence was stacked against him, on May 12th Lincoln’s execution was stayed due to the appearance of new evidence that raised questions of his guilt. However, those questions didn’t lead to answers that would allow him to walk away a free man. Burrowsexecution was rescheduled for May 26th.

Before that date arrived, Burrows escaped from Fox River with his brother, Michael Scofield, and became a fugitive from the law.

Burrows and his brother were spotted on various occasions during their trek across the country. At one point, Burrow was apprehended by US Boarder Patrol, but somehow managed to get away, yet again.

On June 16th, Burrows was exonerated of all charges stemming from the Steadman case following the testimony of former Secret Service Special Agent, Paul Kellerman.
Burrows is currently in Panama City, Panama.

MICHAEL SCOFIELD

Michael Scofield’s educational background leaves many questions as to why such a man would commit the crime he did. Beginning with an immaculate record at Morton East High School, he would later graduate Magna Cum Laude with a B.S and M.S. in civil engineering from Loyola University of Chicago.

Scofield then found employment in Chicago as a structural engineer at the prestigious firm of Middleton, Maxwell and Schaum.

Then, his life took an unexpected turn for the worst. Scofield was convicted of armed robbery after attempting to steal over half a million dollars from the downtown Chicago branch of United Savings Bank. At his trial, Scofield pled no contest and requested to serve time in the level one facility closest to his Chicago home. That facility was Fox River in Joliet.

Once in Fox River, a great deal of attention was focused on Michael Scofield. Inmates were very interested in what Scofield was all about. The medical staff was concerned with his health because in addition to his scheduled visits to the prison clinic to receive his (DIABETIC DRUG), he also required emergency treatment on two occasions: first because of a severed toe, and second for a severe burn to his back. Warden Henry Pope also took an interest in Scofield and invited him to work on a personal project of his. Eventually it would come to light that Scofield was planning his escape from day one, and used his relationship with various people in the prison to facilitate the escape.
After successfully breaking out of Fox River, Scofield eluded authorities for a period of 16 days, during which he was spotted in various locations including: Montana, Indiana and Chicago. At one point, the US Border Patrol had him in custody, but during transport he managed to escape yet again.

The next time he would be seen was in the country of Panama. Scofield rendezvoused with his brother, Lincoln Burrows and Sara Tancredi. Thinking the worst was behind them, the trio boarded a sailboat which Scofield had prepared ahead of time, hoping to disappear forever. However, the FBI caught up with them. When FBI closed in and tried to take Scofield into custody, FBI agent Bill Kim was shot and killed in the melee. Shortly thereafter, Scofield was arrested by the Panamanian Police and charged with homicide.

Michael Scofield is currently awaiting trial in the Panamanian prison of Sona.