One of escapees going to trial for aggravated robbery

One of the men accused of escaping the Ector County Jail last year is going to trial for his original charge Wednesday, more the three years after the reported offense.

Robert Steven Dudley, 39, is going to trial in Judge James Rush’s 244th District Court on an aggravated robbery charge in connection with a Dec. 2, 2008, report that he was stealing from someone with a semi-automatic handgun.

The charge was enhanced to a first-degree felony because of a 1990 felony unauthorized use of a motor vehicle conviction from Midland County.

Dudley also was convicted of the lesser-included-offense of robbery in October 2010 and was sentenced to 15 years in prison in the jury trial.

He originally was given 36 years for aggravated robbery, but an updated sentence document showed he was sentenced for 15 years for the Nov. 26, 2008, robbery.

Dudley has been accused in three separate escape attempts from the Ector County Detention Center. The first was in February 2009 when he and Willie Hurst attempted, but failed, to escape through a jail cell shower and the ventilation system.

Then on Jan. 29, 2011, Dudley successfully escaped with Rickey Lavell Taylor and Russell Graham Rice.

All three were caught within five hours of their escape.

According to sheriff’s deputies, the men escaped through a pipe chase, broke through the roof and left on foot.

The latest escape Dudley participated in was March 5, when he and Taylor cut a hole in their shower cell, went through the pipe chase and again through the ceiling.

The two were found in a nearby Motel 6 at the intersection of I-20 and Highway 385.

Tom Hirsch is the defense attorney.

@OAcourts