September 24, 2025 – Kern County Sheriff’s Office officials report that on Saturday, September 20, 2025, at approximately 11:00 p.m., Lerdo inmate Francisco Garcia, 23, escaped from Kern County Sheriff’s Office custody and fled on foot eastbound from Kern Medical. Garcia was in custody awaiting sentencing for convictions including attempted homicide, assault with a semi-automatic firearm, shooting at an inhabited dwelling, conspiracy, and gang-related charges.

The Kern County Sheriff’s Office immediately initiated an investigation into the escape and began working to locate Garcia. On Monday, September 22, at approximately 7:00 p.m., detectives from the Kern County Sheriff’s Office Investigations Bureau were led by investigative efforts to a residence in the 6900 block of Panama Road in Lamont. Garcia was located at the residence and taken into custody without incident. He will now face additional charges related to the escape.

This successful apprehension was the result of a collaborative effort involving the Bakersfield Police Department, Kern County Probation, California Highway Patrol, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), U.S. Marshals Service, and California Department of Corrections Fugitive Apprehension Team.

During the course of the investigation, two additional individuals were arrested:

• Jasmine Morales, age 32
• Elektra Espinoza, age 20

Both were taken into custody on charges of conspiracy, aiding and abetting an escape, and accessory to a crime.

The Kern County Sheriff’s Office is currently reviewing the circumstances surrounding the escape and evaluating existing protocols to prevent similar incidents in the future.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Kern County Sheriff’s Office at (661) 861-3110 or Kern Secret Witness at (661) 322-4040.

Source: Kern County Sheriff’s Office