PRINCE ALBERT — A Saskatchewan Penitentiary inmate may have escaped custody by impersonating another prisoner with the same last name, prompting Correctional Service of Canada (CSC) to launch an investigation into what officials call a preventable identity-verification failure.
CSC confirmed Thursday that preliminary findings point to possible procedural errors that allowed inmate Keiston Custer, 30, to leave custody on Feb. 20, during what was supposed to be a routine transport. The offender allegedly posed as an inmate who had been scheduled for release that day, says CSC.
Custer – serving a decade-long sentence for manslaughter involving a firearm, rioting, and possession of stolen property – remained at large for nearly two weeks before Prince Albert Police Service arrested him without incident on March 4.
Since the escape, CSC says it has implemented enhanced administrative checks for all inmate releases. Employees involved in the incident have been placed on administrative leave while a disciplinary investigation proceeds.
Custer has been moved to a higher security level and now faces additional charges related to the escape.
The National Board of Investigation (BOI) will analyze the contributing factors to the incident and the actions taken to mitigate them, the placement of the offender at Saskatchewan Penitentiary and the assessment of his escape risk, the monitoring of inmate activities in the area where the incident occurred prior to the incident, as well as the response to the incident, including communications and sharing of information.
Findings and recommendations from the three-person BOI board will be provided to prevent similar situations or occurrences in the future or to resolve them more effectively.
