An escapee from the Ft. Madison Correctional Facility was captured Thursday afternoon, in Stuart, and a woman from Stuart was arrested as an accessory in harboring him. Stuart Police said a Stuart Police Officer was investigating the reported sighting of an escaped fugitive, 31-year old Joseph Leclair, Jr., at around noon Thursday, in the 300 block of N. Main Street.  Lora Sue Baudler, of Stuart, answered the door when the officer knocked but refused to cooperate with the officer.

Baudler then left the property and allegedly made a false 911 call reporting LeClair to be at a different location. The officer called in assistance from Guthrie and Adair County Sheriff’s Offices and the State Patrol to surround the house, while he prepared a search warrant. At approximately 3:30-pm officers entered the house with a search warrant and found LeClair hiding inside.

LeClaire was arrested and transported to the Guthrie County Jail. Baudler was arrested on charges that include False Reports to, or Communications with, Public Safety entities, and Accessory after the Fact.

You may recall LeClaire was involved in a similar incident last year when he escaped from work release for over a two month period from May-July. He was subsequently arrested in Polk County following that incident.