Cache County Deputies Seek Escaped Inmate

WELLSVILLE, Utah —Sheriff’s deputies were searching Thursday for an inmate they said escaped a work program and stole a truck.

Investigators said the man, identified as 32-year-old Joshua Michael Aders, had been part of a community work project at the American West Heritage Center Farm in Wellsville when he vanished before noon.

“This is an unfortunate incident for us at the sheriff’s office to have one of our inmates steal a vehicle and flee,” Sheriff Chad Jensen said. “I don’t want that to overshadow the good things that these work programs can bring the community and all the hours we’re able to give the community in that work and stuff that they do.”

Jensen said Aders would have had to have been considered “low-risk” to be part of the project.

Court records showed recent convictions for burglary, theft and forgery.

Aders was scheduled for release in May 2019.

Investigators said Aders left the program wearing black-and-white-striped trousers, a fluorescent green T-shirt and lace-up boots.

The truck was described as a 2005 white Ford Ranger with an orange caution light on top, with Utah license plate D450Y.

“He made a mistake and he left and he’ll be coming back,” Jensen said.

Anybody with information is asked to call the Cache County Sheriff’s Office at 435-753-7555.