Inmate Escapes from Colorado Jail

DENVER --

A man the Morgan County sheriff calls "armed and dangerous" escaped form jail around midnight Saturday.

Deputies said Melvin James Vierra was being held in the Morgan County Jail on a parole violation stemming from burglary and escape charges.

Vierra was originally sentenced to state prison from Morgan County, but escaped from there, said Jim Crone of the Morgan County Sheriff's Department.

He was last seen wearing orange jail pants and brown or red flip-flop shoes in the area of Platte and Linda Street in Fort Morgan, Crone said.

Vierra, 33, is 5 feet 8 inches tall, about 150 pounds, has brown hair and brown eyes. He has several tattoos including the name "Sonny Boy" on his neck and "Debbie" on his chest and "Sis" on the right shoulder.

Deputies said Vierra has prior arrests for burglary, escape, auto theft and assault with a firearm. He should be considered armed and dangerous, they said.

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