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Man allegedly attempts jail escape

Ryan Graff

A North Dakota man faces attempted escape and criminal mischief charges after allegedly removing a cover to the ventilation system in the Garfield County Jail. Christopher Zolper, 22, of Fargo, N.D., removed the cover to the vent in his maximum-security cell last week, said Garfield County Jail commander Scott Dawson. Zolper had chipped away at the mortar of the bricks surrounding the opening after removing the vent when deputies caught and arrested him, Dawson said.Zolper hadn’t entered the vent system, Dawson said, and wouldn’t have gotten very far if he did since the vent only goes as far as a maintenance closet near his cell. The sheriff’s department estimated the damage to Zolper’s cell at $400.Zolper was originally booked into the jail on Nov. 11 on charges of theft by receiving, vehicular eluding, criminal impersonation, theft, and loitering, Dawson said. He was awaiting court dates on those charges when he was arrested again on the escape and criminal mischief charges. Garfield County sheriff Lou Vallario said he didn’t know of any other escape attempts from the jail and said that escapes through the ventilation system would be difficult because of the metal mesh throughout the system.


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