Union County inmate charged with escape

Justin Strawser, The Daily Item, Sunbury, Pa.
·2 min read

Apr. 19—LEWISBURG — A Union County inmate on work release allegedly skipped out on his shift to instead spend time with his girlfriend and smoke marijuana — just a day over a month after he became eligible for the work release program, according to Buffalo Valley Regional Police.

Jamie Lee Heaney, 50, of Johnson Mill Road, Lewisburg, was charged with a felony count of escape. The charge was filed by Buffalo Valley Regional Police Patrolman Daniel Baumwoll in the Lewisburg office of District Judge Jeffrey Rowe.

Heaney was sentenced on March 14 to serve nine to 23 months in county prison after pleading guilty to a felony count of perjury. Heaney, during a hearing at the county courthouse in Lewisburg, lied on Jan. 3 to Union-Snyder President Judge about being employed, according to court documents.

As part of his sentence, Heaney was eligible for work release, according to court documents.

On Monday, Heaney was scheduled for work release for a shift at the Bull Run Tap House, 605 Market St., Lewisburg, between 5 and 11 p.m. but he allegedly never showed up for the shift, police said.

Heaney called his girlfriend on Monday at 4:33 p.m. to pick him up. He left the jail at 4:38 p.m., police said.

Management from Bull Run called the jail at 5:30 p.m. to indicate that Heaney did not show up for work. Heaney's girlfriend was then called by jail personnel, but she didn't answer, police said.

At 6:18 p.m., Heaney called the jail and was told to return to the jail, police said.

Upon returning to the jail at 6:42 p.m., Heaney was searched and a drug test was administered, indicating that Heaney was positive for drug use, police said.

Heaney in a letter to the judge allegedly explained that he left with his girlfriend, "smoked some pot" and were together for a couple of hours. He allegedly "apologized for his stupidity and how he handled those few hours," police said.

The police report does not indicate which judge Heaney's letter was addressed to, but his perjury case and his pending case involved Union County Judge Michael Piecuch.

Heaney, in a police interview, allegedly verified the letter he wrote to the judge. He admitted to leaving with his girlfriend to go to her residence in New Columbia and not go to work as he was supposed to do, police said.

Heaney was arraigned on Thursday and bail was set at $2,000 cash. He is scheduled for a preliminary hearing at 3:45 p.m. May 23 in front of Rowe.

Heaney also has pending misdemeanor counts of terroristic threats and simple assault in Union County Court. He allegedly threw a knife and held it toward a woman while stating "We are going to end this tonight" on Feb. 5 at a home in Buffalo Township, police said.