A man who briefly escaped from a Larnedo state hospital has pleaded guilty

LARNED, Kan. (KSNW) — A man who briefly escaped from custody at Larned State Hospital in 2023 has pleaded guilty.

Gary Leslie Furtmeier, a convicted sex offender, was enrolled in the Sexual Predator Treatment Program, where residents receive additional privileges. Furthmeier and the other offenders had just returned from a trip to a casino in Dodge City on the evening of June 23, 2023.

The Pony County District Attorney’s Office says Furthmeier threw his cell phone in the trash and ran away during check-in. The Kansas State Highway Patrol, the Pawnee County Sheriff’s Office, the Edwards County Sheriff’s Department and numerous K-9 units from surrounding jurisdictions were involved in the search for him.

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Less than three hours later, he was found in a tree line. In addition to the aggravated escape from custody charge, Furthmeier was also charged with violating the Kansas Offender Registration Act. The county attorney said Fertmeier did not register his cell phone with the sheriff’s office.

Pony County Prosecutor Douglas McNett says as part of the plea deal, the Registration Act violation was dismissed in exchange for a plea to aggravated escape from custody. Sentencing is scheduled for December 16.

Furthmeier previously escaped from Lansing in 1988 and 2012, according to Kansas Department of Corrections records.

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