Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Burglary Suspect Captured After Fleeing County Jail

A 25-year-old Little Rock man is

being held in the Nevada County jail after leading area law enforcement officials on a merry chase.

Joe Louis Bailey managed to escape from the Nevada County jail by pushing the razor wire surrounding the top of the fence of the exercise yard aside and climbing over. Once over the fence, he was able to get between the secondary fence and jail wall.

Bailey was arrested for the burglaries at the home of Municipal Judge Gene Hale and Dr. Charles Vermont on June 15.

When arrested, the suspect's identification had him as Donald Leroy Bailey, 35, of Little Rock. However, it was learned after the escape, this was Joe's brother and it was Joe the officers were actually after.

Donald Bailey, however, was taken into custody by the Little Rock Police Department as the suspect in the Nevada County burglaries.

According to Wayne Kisselburg, criminal investigator for the NCSO and Prescott Police Department, the two bore close resemblance and the identification Joe Bailey had wasn't questioned.

But, after being picked up, Donald Bailey told the LRPD his identification had been stolen by his brother, Joe.

In Nevada County, though, Joe Bailey had already been arrested as Donald and charged with two counts of residential burglary and two counts of theft of property. Officials were unable to connect him with a break in of the home of Donny and Carolyn Steed.

The suspect reportedly broke into the homes of Hale and Dr. Vermont by trying to kick in the back doors. When this wasn't successful, he used a brick to break a back window and enter the homes.

The burglary of the Hale home occurred between 9:30 and 11 a.m. June 15, shortly after Kim Hale had taken her and Gene's son, Ben, to an athletic practice.

A 30-30 rifle, .38-caliber revolver, a .22-caliber revolver in a holster and a knife in a sheath were taken from the Hale residence, along with $30 or $40 in change.

The Vermont burglary netted the thief $365 in cash and several gold and silver coins.

However, at the time of the burglaries, a description of the suspect's vehicle was taken by a witness, along with a partial description of Joe Bailey, the suspect.

This information was broadcast statewide over the NCSO's computer network.

Because of this information, Joe Bailey was picked up Tuesday, June 16, by Dallas County authorities and returned to Nevada County.

Several of the items stolen from Nevada County turned up in an Arkadelphia pawn shop.

Then came the escape and the officers learning Donald Bailey was actually Joe Louis Bailey, Don's brother.

After the escape, the information was again broadcast statewide, with the LRPD responding. Two LRPD officers identified a photo of Joe Bailey, saying they knew him, but this was after they had already picked up Donald Bailey on the burglary and theft charges.

When NCSO officials thought Joe was Donald, they ran a criminal background check on the subject. They learned Donald Bailey was on parole for 1989 charges of manufacture and delivery of schedule I and II narcotics, and in 1996 as a certain person in possession of a firearm, along with theft by receiving.

Donald Bailey, Kisselburg said, is being held in Little Rock for parole violation.

Joe Louis Bailey, though, is in a world of trouble of his own. At the time of his first arrest by the NCSO, he was also wanted on two charges in Clark County, Dallas County had a warrant on him for theft by receiving because the 1990 Ford Ranger pickup he was in had been stolen in Oklahoma, and Cleveland County wanted him for attempted burglary.

Now, his problems have been compounded. Along with the two counts of residential burglary and two county of theft of property, Joe Bailey has been charged with criminal impersonation and second degree escape.

Kisselburg said each is being handled as a separate charge, with all being stacked so his sentence will run consecutively instead of concurrently.

Joe Bailey's rap sheet is also long and storied. According to Kisselburg, this was the fourth time he's escaped from a jail, the other three were from Mississippi.

None of the inmates in the exercise yard would admit aiding Bailey escape or having seen him flee. Because of this, the jail is now in lockdown with all privileges suspended.

In addition, officers did a shakedown of the facilities, finding some contraband.

Kisselburg said Bailey was trying to escape to Oklahoma, but got lost. He reportedly stole a car in Hempstead County to make his getaway.

Several law enforcement agencies joined in the search, including the Hempstead County Sheriff's Office, Hope Police Department, Prescott Police Department, Clark County Sheriff's Office, Nevada County Rescue Unit, Arkansas State Police and Arkansas Highway Police. The Howard and Pike County SO's got into the act later on, when the suspect was reported in their areas.

Joe Bailey was actually arrested in New Hope when the vehicle he had stolen ran out of gas shortly after crossing into Pike County.

He now has been charged with a total of 19 separate charges, and will also be charged as a habitual offender.

Residential burglary is a class B felony, while theft of a firearm is a class C felony. The burglary charges carries a sentence of 5-20 years in the state pen, while the theft charges have penalties of 3-10 years in prison.

But, if Joe Bailey is found guilty of all these crimes, along with being a habitual offender, he faces life in prison.