By Billy Davis

An escapee from a minimum-security Kansas prison has been sentenced to nine and one-half years for fleeing custody last November.  

Wayne Purdy, 31, was sentenced to 114 months in prison in addition to his original sentence, The Winfield Daily Courier reported.

A second escapee, Scott Dwyer, 40, has pleaded innocent to the escape charges and is awaiting trial, the Courier reported.

Purdy and Dwyer had crisscrossed four states when their luck ran out in Batesville on January 11. A police officer spotted the pair stealthily driving through the Square on a Yamaha four-wheeler.

The escapees fled on foot, leading to a manhunt that nabbed them both. Dwyer was arrested in the Courtland area two days later. Purdy was caught in Grenada the day after that.

Dwyer has pleaded innocent to the escape charges and is awaiting trail, the Courier reported.

After Purdy and Dwyer were caught, authorities learned that the escapees had followed train tracks south, with plans to eventually escape into Mexico.

Authorities said they traveled at night and broke into businesses and homes along their route to supply them with food, clothes and equipment. They also crossed the Mississippi River with the ATV.

Dwyer, when he escaped, had 40 convictions in six Kansas counties for burglary, theft, criminal damage to property, and drug possession.

Purdy had convictions in two counties for burglary, theft, arson and criminal damage to property.

The four-wheeler was traced to a home burglary in Tyronza, Arkansas. Its odometer showed the escapees has put more than 250 miles on the ATV when it came to a stop in Batesville.