Man Pleads Guilty To Escape From SD Jailers

HURON, SD - A Minnesota man who fled Beadle County jailers in April and was on the run for five days has pleaded guilty to escape.

Michael Smith entered the plea Tuesday before Circuit Judge Jon Erickson. Sentencing was set for a later date.  Following sentencing, the 37-year-old Smith will be sent to Hastings, Minnesota, to serve 25 months for felony theft. Then, he'll
return to South Dakota to serve his escape sentence. 

Smith had just waived extradition to Minnesota and was being escorted from the Beadle County courthouse to the jail on April 8 when he faked an issue with his footwear, kicked them off, then ran to the northwest. He was arrested five days later by a fugitive task force in East St. Paul, Minnesota.

Two people have been charged with helping Smith make his getaway.