Two Inmates In Pocahontas County Captured Shortly After Weekend Escape

Two inmates in Pocahontas County were captured an hour after escaping the jail there Saturday night. 18 year old, Joshua Jordan Schmidt of Algona and 32 year old Jacob Matthew Kesterson of Laurens are both charged with escape from custody and conspiracy. The Pocahontas County Sheriff’s Office says, a jailer was moving an inmate into a cell and the inmate ran past the jailer. The inmate used the fire escape to exit the building, the second inmate followed suit. The two then scaled the barbed wire fence and exited the property. Deputies were then notified and a search ensued. After a short but intense search, the two inmates were discovered blocks away in the backyard of a residence and taken into custody.