JONESVILLE, Va. — Lee County authorities thwarted a prison escape over the weekend at the United States Penitentiary, located eight miles east of Jonesville, Va.

According to the Lee County Sheriff’s Department, a concerned citizen reported to their office on Saturday, August 22, that a suspicious person was in the woods near the maximum security facility.

Lee County Sheriff Gary Parsons said that Deputy Lynn Hornsby found the individual getting into a blue SUV near the reported location. When Hornsby tried to stop the vehicle, it fled back onto prison property.

Parsons said that when Hornsby and Virginia State Police Trooper Pat Flanary were able to box the vehicle in, the suspect bounded from the vehicle and ran. Officers pursued him roughly 300 yards before capturing him. The escapee was identified as Rahsaan Parker and turned back into federal authorities.

Parsons reported that while the officers were chasing Parker, the vehicle fled the scene. After an alert was put out on the vehicle, it was located by Officer Doug Parsons at the Convenient Inn in Pennington Gap, Va. Officers went into the motel room and located Judith Cross, Brittany Cross, and Quantrell Cobb. Brittany Cross, identified as the drive of the vehicle, was charged with felony eluding police officers. All three were charged with aiding in the escape of a federal inmate. There were also three children in the room that were turned over to the Department of Social Services.

The three adults are currently being held in the Duffield Regional Jail without bond. They face further federal charges for the incident.

Parsons added that another prisoner also walked away from the prison but apparently realized what was going on and returned to the facility. He also faces federal escape charges.

Stephen Woodward is a Staff Writer for the Daily News. He may be contacted at swoodward@middlesborodailynews.com.