ESCAPE: Two Southwest Virginia Regional Jail inmates break out

Washington County, Virginia Sheriff Blake Andis said two inmates from the Southwest Virginia Regional Jail complex in Abingdon escaped from the facility just before 3 p.m. Thursday afternoon.

The two escapees were identified in the sheriff’s report as Johnny Shane Brown, 51, of Rogersville, Tennessee and, Albert Lee Ricketson, 31, of Abingdon.

Andis said Brown is a federal inmate and Ricketson was convicted of an August 2020 double homicide. Both are considered armed and dangerous.

The sheriff said the two were last seen traveling in a stolen gold-colored Cadillac SUV with visible damage on the rear of the vehicle. The SUV’s license plate is VIRGINIA UDZ-6049. Their direction of travel is unknown.

Brown is described as 182-pound white male who is 5 feet, 11 inches tall with gray hair. Ricketson is described as a 212-pound white male who is 5 feet, 8 inches tall with brown hair

Anyone with information on the whereabouts of Brown and Ricketson should call 911 or your local police agency.

(PHOTOS: WCSO VA)