Jacksonville man sentenced to federal prison for escaping from halfway house

Allison Matthews
·2 min read
4

Chief U.S. District Judge Timothy J. Corrigan sentenced 44-year-old Michael A. Crider of Jacksonville to 2 and-a-half years in federal prison for escaping from custody.

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Crider entered a guilty plea on Jan. 3.

According to court documents, in 2018, Crider was found guilty and sentenced to 6 years and 8 months in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon.

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In January 2023, while Crider was completing that term of imprisonment, the Bureau of Prisons transferred him into the custody of Bridges Federal Reintegration Centers – Jacksonville, a residential re-entry center or halfway house. While in custody there, Crider was subject to drug testing.

On the evening of April 11, 2023, Crider was provided a copy of an incident report documenting a recent positive test for cocaine. Later, around midnight, a halfway house staff member noticed that Crider was not in his assigned dormitory. Staff members searched the facility but could not find Crider.

A month later, on May 13, 2023, at around 6:00 a.m. in St. Augustine, a police officer saw a minivan (which Crider was driving) traveling at over 100 miles per hour, running red traffic lights and weaving in and out of traffic.

When the officer attempted to conduct a traffic stop, Crider refused to pull over and a chase ensued. Crider eventually crashed the minivan and was arrested.

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At the crash scene, the officer smelled marijuana coming from the minivan. Crider initially refused to identify himself, but he eventually stated that he knew there was a warrant for his arrest.

In the backseat of the minivan, police found a backpack, which contained several documents bearing Crider’s name, a scale and a dose of buprenorphine 8mg, a synthetic opioid and Schedule III controlled substance.

This case was investigated by the U.S. Marshals Service and the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael J. Coolican.

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