Woman Ran From the Law 34 Years, Is Caught

rockin'robin

rockin'robin

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Officials Say Paula Eileen Carroll Used West Virginia Woman's ID

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- A fugitive on the lam since escaping from the Florida prison system more than three decades ago was arrested Tuesday morning -- her birthday -- in Brevard County, authorities said.

Paula Eileen Carroll, who turned 56 years old, escaped 34 years ago from a Marion County prison where she was serving a five-year sentence for buying, receiving or concealing stolen property. She was sentenced on July 18, 1975, for the Osceola county offense, and escaped less than two months later, on Sept. 3, 1975.

A tipster contacted authorities, and the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office arrested Carroll at 8:55 a.m. as she walked from her home to her car, according to the Department of Corrections.

Carroll told the arresting officers that she had “been thinking about this day for a long time” and that she's “glad it’s over,” according to the Department of Corrections.

Records of the 1975 escape indicate that she and another inmate were discovered missing from Florida Correctional Institution during a routine count of inmates. Despite an immediate search involving multiple law enforcement agencies, Carroll was not found. The other inmate was recaptured.

Carroll was using the name and Social Security number of a West Virginia woman but her own birth date, officials said.

Woman Arrested After 34 Years On Lam - Jacksonville News Story - WJXT Jacksonville
 
She could have just done the 5-year sentence and be done and over with. Instead she hides from the law for 34 years. Amazingly stupid.
 
Jeeze, who would turn her in after such a long time? Must have had a bone to pick with her.
 
I don't know what to find more surprising: the fact she got away with being runaway for that long or the fact that they still caught her so many years later.
 
Lets see. If she was on the lam successfully for 34 years she must have been leading a pretty clean life...

And why a 5 year sentence for such a small crime? People have committed murder and been out in less than 3 years -- like those kids who beat a man to death just for fun a while back.

BTW anyone who buys something at a yardsale and does not get a receipt runs the same risk of the same crime and the same sentence.

I say let her go.
 
We don't have enough details of the whole story.

We don't know if it was a one-time offense or if she was a long-term fence, the value of the items, and how they were obtained (such as part of another felony event).

Also, she was fraudulently using another person's identity and SSN. That's an additional crime.
 
She thinks 5 years is a long time so she decided to run from the law, just plain stupid.
 
She may be somewhat stupid, but nobody wants to to to jail/prison. But gotta admit, she was on the lam (run) for 34 years...don't believe many people could claim that record....She must be very "street smart".

If she has accomplished many good things while she was on the run, charity work, etc., maybe that will work in her favor. But definately, she's going back to jail for ID theft. Her age should be considered too. She might get off with probation. As she's broke no laws for 34 years.
 
rockin'robin said:
She may be somewhat stupid, but nobody wants to to to jail/prison. But gotta admit, she was on the lam (run) for 34 years...don't believe many people could claim that record....She must be very "street smart".

If she has accomplished many good things while she was on the run, charity work, etc., maybe that will work in her favor. But definately, she's going back to jail for ID theft. Her age should be considered too. She might get off with probation. As she's broke no laws for 34 years.
Click to expand...

Yes she has, she stole another person's identity and used it to obtain jobs, housing, financing, etc. This could have been absolutely disastrous for the person she stole the identity from.
 
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