Police: Man Stole Prison Truck in Johnson County, Had Prison Sentence Extended

Source: Johnson County Prosecutor’s Office

JOHNSON COUNTY, Ind.–A prison sentence was extended for a man who stole a prison truck while at the Edinburgh Correctional Facility in October 2023.

Johnson County Prosecutor Lance Hamner announced on Tuesday that Marion Jaynes was sentenced to an additional 12 years behind bars on Friday. The Indiana Department of Corrections had placed him in minimum security at the Edinburgh facility to serve his sentence for burglary in Shelby County.

“He told the judge that it ‘was the dumbest thing I’ve ever done and I’ve done a lot of dumb things.’ Well, you can’t dispute that,” said Hamner.

Jaynes’ extensive criminal record dates back to 1986 and includes 14 prior felony convictions and 15 prior misdemeanor convictions. In this incident from 2023, police say Jaynes stole the prison truck and was apprehended about six hours after he escaped.

“Impulse control is a weak point for him. Here he is in minimum security. He’s got these privileges. It’s a lot nicer than the steel doors clanking behind you all the time. Then he just blew it. Now that he’s demonstrated that he can’t be trusted, he’s going back to maximum security. That’s how it works,” said Hamner.

Hamner wants to illustrate the importance of understanding trust in this scenario.

“If a guy proves himself to be trustworthy enough that he can go to a minimum-security prison, he better stay trustworthy because if he doesn’t, he’s going back to a maximum-security prison for a long time,” said Hamner.

Jaynes pled guilty to escape and criminal conversion, theft, and being a habitual offender.

You can hear the full interview with Hamner below.