The Union County Prosecutor’s Office
32 Rahway Avenue   Elizabeth, NJ 07202
Theodore J. Romankow
Prosecutor

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 15, 2009

Contact: John Holl
(908) 527-4621 jholl@ucnj.org

Jail Escapee Pleads Guilty

ELIZABETH, N.J. – Phillip Ruddy, who fled the Union County Jail earlier this Summer, pled guilty in Union County Superior Court this morning to one count of 3rd Degree Escape, said Prosecutor Theodore J. Romankow.

Under the plea he will face up to three years in prison when sentenced on November 18, according to Assistant Prosecutor Ann Rubin, who handled the case.

On June 29, 2009 Ruddy and another inmate were emptying trash in the plaza when, according to the investigation, he ran off. The corrections officer supervising the pair secured the other inmate and radioed for backup.

Ruddy was captured a week later in Newark after his father, who is on parole, notified his parole officer that Ruddy was at a house on Eagle Street in Newark, said Rubin. Officers went to the location and found Ruddy hiding in the basement.

Ruddy, DOB: 10/17/1987, of Rahway was first admitted to the jail on June 1, 2009 for a parole violation and due to his low risk status, at the time, was put to work at the jail complex. One of his duties included supervised trash removal on Elizabethtown Plaza.

During the investigation it was revealed that Ruddy’s uncle, Charles Grecco DOB: 10/24/1980 of Rahway, had several telephone conversations with the inmate in advance of the escape. He then picked up Ruddy around the corner from the jail on the night of the escape.

Grecco was arrested on July 30. Last week pled guilty to 3rd degree facilitating an escape. Sentencing is scheduled for Nov. 20 and Grecco faces up to three years in jail.

The investigation was headed by Detective Scott Pentz of the Union County Police Department with assistance from Prosecutor’s Office Detective Michael Triarsi.