Convict caught

Local inmate captured after escape

The inmate who escaped the Blue Ridge Regional Jail (BRRJ) in Lynchburg over a week ago was captured by authorities Wednesday, Sept. 14 near the wastewater plant on the Lynchburg side of the James River, approximately 2.3 miles from the jail.

James Richard Pavlis, 22, was found dehydrated and with minor scars on his body when he was located by police 60 hours following his escape.

He was taken into custody without incident and is currently being held at the Amherst County Adult Detention Center.

Pavlis initially escaped under a fence the morning of Sept. 12 after leaving through the jail’s kitchen area where he worked.

The fence he escaped under is over 1 foot off the ground, and according to BRRJ superintendent Tim Trent, the fence was built for purely decorative purposes.

“(The fence) does not have any security features with it,” Trent said at a press conference Wednesday.
“When that jail was built, it was one of the conditions of the location where it’s at. They didn’t want it to look like a jail.”

Several schools — including all of those a part of Lynchburg City Schools and Campbell County Schools — were put under immediate lockdown after news of the escape.

Liberty University students were emailed by the Liberty University Police Department Monday afternoon with the physical characteristics of Pavlis.

Soon after his escape, authorities released a statement saying Pavlis is considered dangerous.

According to Lynchburg Police Department (LPD) Captain Ryan Zuidema, LPD received a flood of tips from the public claiming to have seen Pavlis in the area.

It was a group of these tips that eventually directed officers closer to Madison Heights, near the river and the 2300 block of Concord Turnpike where authorities found Pavlis.

During the search, tracking dogs from the Halifax County Sheriff’s Office and Virginia Department of Corrections were used to pinpoint Pavlis’s position in a matter of hours.

With their help, officers were able to easily find Pavlis between the river and the railroad tracks when they got near his location.

“He would still be on the loose if it wasn’t for the K-9 officers,” Zuidema said in a press conference.

“The handlers and the dogs both worked extremely hard. I can tell you they’ll all probably sleep very well tonight.”

Pavlis was apprehended by authorities at 5:45 p.m.

He was charged with escape, a class six felony, but could face additional charges.

Pavlis was initially incarcerated for grand larceny, identity fraud, burglary and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

Zuidema noted the investigation into Palvis’s escape is still ongoing, and there are still a lot of unanswered questions.

Zuidema said it is still unknown what Pavlis was doing during the time of escape and whether he had a plan once he got out, though it so far seems he had no assistance during any part in the escape.

“There’s going to be two investigations going on,” Zuidema said.

“There’s a criminal investigation that the Lynchburg Police Department is [conducting] because this escape took place in our jurisdiction, and then Mr. Trent’s staff will be conducting an internal investigation into procedures.”

Trent declined to say in the press conference whether changes will be made to the Lynchburg Adult Detention Center’s jail policies moving forward, but mentioned Pavlis will not continue to serve his time there.

YOUNG is the news editor.