Jail escapee from Ness County captured

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August 11, 2012|By Eyewitness News

(NESS COUNTY, Kan.) — Update: Several officers swarmed a house in rural Western Kansas on Sunday. They ended up taking Benito Cardenas Jr. back to jail after an intense search for him all weekend long.

Four agencies were involved in getting Cardenas to surrender peacefully.

It happened in Trego County--that's just north of Ness County where Cardenas escaped from jail Friday night. He was there awaiting sentencing after being convicted of rape and aggravated criminal sodomy involving a child younger than 14. Law enforcement across the state were on alert looking for him.

Sunday afternoon authorities discovered Cardenas was inside a house just south of Ogallah. We know there were other people inside the house also, but we haven't confirmed any more details about that.

Officers from Trego, Ness and Ellis Counties responded to the scene along with the Kansas Highway Patrol.

The standoff ended just before 5 p.m. when Cardenas gave up.

There are no reports of anybody being hurt.

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Authorities in western Kansas are looking for an escaped rapist.

Benito Cardenas Jr. broke out of the Ness County Jail around 10:30 Friday night.

Law enforcement from several neighboring counties, along with the Kansas Highway Patrol, are aiding in the search.

Last week, a jury found Cardenas guilty of rape and aggravated criminal sodomy under Jessica's Law. Because the victim was under the age of 14, the charges carry a possible sentence of life in prison.

The crime occurred in Ness City in September 2010. Cardenas was living in Dodge City at the time of his arrest in April 2011.

Cardenas is 5'11" and weights approx. 230 pounds. He has tattoos on his arms and chest, and a teardrop tattoo beneath his left eye.

Anyone who has seen Cardenas or has information on his whereabouts is asked to call 911 immediately.

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