By Lucky Kidd
LARNED, Kan. — The man who escaped from Larned State Hospital’s Sexual Predator Treatment Program in the summer of 2021 was ordered to stand trial following a preliminary hearing Wednesday in Pawnee County District Court.
According to a release from Pawnee County Attorney Douglass McNett, John Freeman Colt was bound over by Magistrate Judge Julie Cowell for aggravated escape from custody and five counts of violating the Kansas Offender Registration Act.
Testimony indicated on June 30th, 2021 staff had encountered a professionally dressed and unidentified person claiming to be a new staff member needing help to exit the Dillon Building at LSH. While reviewing footage at the time, there was an hour-long power outage that knocked out various security systems that led to a security lockdown.
About 15 minutes after power came back on it was determined the person was a SPTP resident after which it was discovered Colt was missing during an emergency face to face count by LSH safety and security staff.
While the power was off a farmer encountered a man identified as Colt, who claimed he had car trouble, and was given a ride to town, after which he picked up a motorcycle he’d purchased with assistance of co-defendant Rachel Perez, who was sentenced to prison earlier this month for her role in the escape. One other staff member was also sentenced to prison in connection with this case.
It was also disclosed during the hearing Colt had relationships with several female staffers at the hospital who provided him a variety of assistance, including providing a cell phone and several social media accounts to communicate with staff outside of the hospital. Review of those accounts led to identification of the motorcycle allegedly used by Colt to leave the area.
Colt, who was arrested in September 2021 in Utah after a nationwide manhunt, will enter a plea to the charges at an arraignment set for February 12th. After serving a 21-month federal prison sentence for federal registration violations, Colt is now back in the LSH sexual predator unit.
