Escapees Caught During Alleged Drug Run

Their run for freedom only lasted 62 hours. But South Dakota and Iowa authorities say it was long enough for Jason Heasley and Justin Mynatt to commit several crimes, including armed robbery, forgery and making meth.

It all started early Tuesday morning when the men busted a window and broke out of jail in Beadle County. South Dakota authorities say the pair stole a car, dumped it in Arlington and stole a truck. The two are also suspects in a break-in at an Aurora convenience store and an attempted robbery at an Elkton gas station.

When they got to South Central Iowa, Heasley and Mynatt stopped at a woman's home in rural Creston to ask for directions. That's when Mynatt allegedly pulled out a knife and robbed her.

The men then ditched the pickup and stole another one down the road. But Thursday, the pursuit for these prisoners ended at a Des Moines Walmart. The two men considered "armed and dangerous" didn't put up a fight while being arrested in the parking lot.

Tony Stevenson with the Des Moines Police says, "No weapons were found or anything like that. It was a good job of police work all the way around." Stevenson says catching these two also took a little luck. An off duty deputy spotted the "stolen" truck.

Stevenson says,"He followed him to Walmart parking lot."

From there the deputy called for backup and watched one escapee circle the parking lot while the other went inside Walmart. Police waited to make the arrests until both were outside the store.

Stevenson says,"We're obviously aware of the employees and customers inside. It's just a safer incident until they both came out."

Stevenson says the suspectwho went into Walmartcame out with the ingredients to make meth."Obviously we are glad we have these two in custody."

Police are going over items found in the stolen pickup. Mynatt and Heasley are being held in the Des Moines jail. They're both charged with making meth and first degree robbery. Heasley also faces credit card theft and forgery charges. And that's just the charges in Iowa. We'll find out in the days ahead the additional charges they face in South Dakota.