Woman appears in North Carolina court for allegedly assisting escaped prisoner

A woman, Jacobia Crisp, made a court appearance in Orange County, North Carolina, following charges of aiding a prisoner in evading law enforcement after he escaped from a transport van. Crisp faces charges of aiding and abetting a fugitive and harboring an escapee, which could result in over five years in state prison if she is convicted of both felonies.

The fugitive in question, Ramone Alston, escaped from a transport van in Hillsborough, where he was receiving medical treatment at UNC Gastrointestinal Medicine. Alston, who is serving a life sentence at Bertie Correctional Institution in North Carolina, was previously convicted in the killing of 1-year-old Maleah Williams, who was shot on Christmas Day in 2015 while playing outside her family’s apartment in Chapel Hill and later died.

Following a three-day manhunt involving multiple agencies, Alston was apprehended at a hotel in Kannapolis by law enforcement, including the FBI and U.S. Marshals Service. He has been moved to a high-security unit in Granville County, where he may face additional charges. Crisp, who was arrested in Alamance County, posted bond the same day and is scheduled for her next court hearing on September 13.

Sheriff Charles Blackwood reported that Crisp and Alston had been in communication primarily by phone for several months and were described as acquaintances. The case continues to unfold as authorities work through the legal proceedings.