Larch escapees receive additional prison time

A Larch Corrections Center inmate who walked off a work crew job site on June 16 and evaded capture for nearly two weeks was sentenced Wednesday afternoon in Clark County Superior Court to 29 additional months in prison, according to court records.

Randall J. Marlow, 46, whose last residence was in Lake Stevens, pleaded guilty in Superior Court to escaping community custody. He was scheduled to be released from prison Dec. 14, 2016, before this latest conviction. Marlow had been incarcerated on five counts of property crimes committed in Snohomish County.

He originally faced a more serious charge of first-degree escape. However, as part of a plea deal, the prosecution agreed to the lesser charge in exchange for a lengthier sentence. First-time community custody escapees usually face a sentence of 0 to 90 days, Senior Deputy Prosecutor Jeff McCarty said.

On June 16, Marlow was doing landscaping work with an inmate work crew at Clark Rifles, 25115 N.E. Rawson Road, when, at about 1:30 p.m., a supervisor noticed that he and another inmate, Donald William McLain, 33, were missing.

The missing prisoners prompted an extensive search of the area. McLain was found and captured eight hours later about 6 miles away, in the 6400 block of Northeast 224th Avenue in Hockinson. McLain had been serving time for five counts of forgery, two counts of second-degree theft and drug violations, all committed in Clark County.

McCarty said McLain received a similar plea deal. McLain was sentenced Aug. 7 to 36 additional months in prison, according to court records. McCarty said McLain received more time than Marlow because his offender score was higher.

Marlow managed to evade capture for nearly two weeks. He was found and taken into custody on June 29 at the intersection of Mill Plain Boulevard and Lincoln Avenue without incident. The arrest was a joint effort between state Department of Corrections officers and the Clark County Sheriff’s Office.