UPDATE: Two escaped prisoners captured in Sacramento

UPDATE 5/7/18 8:00 AM — Two inmates who escaped from Salinas Valley State Prison Sunday have been captured.

According to prison officials, Richard P. Almanza, 23, and Jonathan J. Damiano, 35, were taken into custody around 2:45 Monday morning at a hotel in the Del Paso Heights area in Sacramento.

They were apprehended without incident, and are being transported back to SVSP in Soledad.

ORIGINAL STORY: Two inmates at the Salinas Valley State Prison in Soledad, escaped Sunday morning.

The Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation is looking for Richard Almanza and Jonathan Damiano.

Both are minimum security inmates serving time for burglary at the Minimum Support Facility.

Lt. Eduardo Mazariegos tells KION they were last seen running through a nearby vineyard, and would have had to scale a six foot fence at the facility.

Mazariegos says they were reporting as missing at approximately 8:55 a.m.. At that time, the inmates are walking to the dorms after breakfast, before heading to the yard.

Almanza is 23 years old with brown eyes, black hair and tattoos. He’s 5’8″ and 134 pounds. He is serving a four year, eight month sentence for burglary in the first degree and manufacturing/possession of a blackjack as a second striker.

Damiano is 35 years old with brown eyes and brown hair. He is 5’11” and 225 pounds. The Sacramento resident is serving a three year sentence for burglary in the second degree.

Both Almanza and Damiano were set to be released on parole in the next year.

“These are not high level offenders serving long sentences,” Mazariegos said. He adds, while it has happened before, it is rare for people to escape so close to their release. He says it is often because of family matters.

If caught, Almanza and Damiano can face three to five more years in prison.

You are asked to contact law enforcement, or call 911, if you see either of these men, or have information on their whereabouts.