Stephen Koble (credit: CDCR)
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (CBS/AP) — The Sacramento County Sheriff’s Department has apprehended a teenager who escaped from a minimum secruity prison in the Sacramento area just months before he was due out on parole.
Nineteen-year-old Stephen Koble was serving a five-year sentence for burglary when he walked out of California State Prison, Sacramento early Friday morning. The prison is located in Folsom, 20 miles east of the capital.
At 5 p.m. on Friday, authorities located the escaped inmate hiding under a pile of leaves at the 4200 block of Manzanita Ave. Koble was then relinquished to the custody of the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, and was transported back to California State Prison -Sacramento.
A full investigation into his escape will be conducted by the prison’s Investigative Services Unit.
Koble, who also goes by Stephen Austin Berkle, was scheduled for parole on June 18.
A prison official says it is rare for inmates to try to escape because their sentences are brief.




17 Comments
Why do this when your parole date was so close? Won’t be June anymore when they catch him.
March 25, 2011 at 9:12 am | | Report comment
Must have been Meat Loaf day in the canteen. Just couldn’t stand another bite.
March 25, 2011 at 9:33 am | | Report comment
5’5″ 140 lb 19 year old in prison? You’ve either got Johnny Law or Bubba … I think he was tired of Bubba.
March 25, 2011 at 12:59 pm | | Report comment
That’s it? Howabout .. How did he escape? Was he inside the prison or on a camp style facility? Don’t you think it would be important to know how this guy got out from a supposedly high risk security prison?
March 25, 2011 at 9:16 am | | Report comment
The article says it was a minimum security prison. But I’m with you on wanting to know more about how this inmate just “walked out” of the prison.
March 25, 2011 at 12:38 pm | | Report comment
I can tell you the prison people are holding back that information… They don’t want you to know they did something stupid when they just got that 5.8 percent raise that you didn’t get…
March 25, 2011 at 4:19 pm
How about a photo….a lot of white males in the area.
March 25, 2011 at 9:26 am | | Report comment
Wow , with all the info you gave us, he will be caught immediately I’m sure !!!!
March 25, 2011 at 9:44 am | | Report comment
only five foot 5 and 140 puonds …..he was probly someones girlfriend in there and got fed up with being assulted
March 25, 2011 at 10:19 am | | Report comment
“when he walked out of California State Prison” This is the comment I loved. How in the hell did he JUST WALK OUT?????
March 25, 2011 at 10:25 am | | Report comment
if he gets released he has to work but if he goes back to jail he gets clothes, TV and 3 meals a day for free.
March 25, 2011 at 11:26 am | | Report comment
don’t forget the free love in the showers
March 25, 2011 at 12:30 pm | | Report comment
somebody put a hit on him in prison, that’s the only reasonable explanation, granted he’s got half a brain cell. But.. i doubt he does.
March 25, 2011 at 12:28 pm | | Report comment
I am his mother and you are correct on his reason for leaving I have found out. I found out because I now have inmates with cell phones calling me and my family making threats. I have made several attempt at contacting Warden Verga butto her is not returning my calls.I dont feel safe in my own home and am scared to death for my son.
March 31, 2011 at 9:11 pm | | Report comment
Wow…first off you have a photo…2nd they said MINIMUM security…3rd all you tree huggers in california want to do is complain on prisoner rights and talk about how prisoners are mistreated until they victimize YOU!!! If you want the Big Bad Guys looked away…then Quit taking Law eforcement rights away and giving it to the Inmates!!! Hello Wake Up there in prison/jail for a reason….
March 25, 2011 at 12:31 pm | | Report comment
maybe the prison can let some more people go so they can come and visit you at your house. check under the leaves
March 25, 2011 at 7:38 pm | | Report comment
click to view louis vuitton knock off with confident
February 3, 2012 at 9:51 am | | Report comment