Authorities Release Name of Officer Allegedly Involved in Inmate Escape

RUSK — Authorities have released the identity of a correctional officer who was arrested in the escape of Cherokee County inmate Thomas Kyle Wagoner. Officials say 22-year-old Miranda Shay Emmons of Jacksonville had only worked for Cherokee County since February 2014. She was arrested at 3:00 Friday morning and charged with permitting or facilitating escape, a 3rd degree felony. Justice of the Peace Brenda Dominy conducted the arraignment of Emmons and set her bond at $10,000.

According to a Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office news release, after Wagoner’s escape on Wednesday around 7:45 p.m., investigators began receiving information that led them to believe Emmons was involved in his escape. At the time the arrest warrant was issued for Wagoner on the escape charge, there was not sufficient evidence to issue an arrest warrant for Emmons, according to officials. However, her vehicle was entered in NCIC/TCIC (National Crime Information Center / Texas Crime Information Center) along with the arrest warrant for Wagoner, in the event the vehicle was stopped by law enforcement.

Officials say investigators and deputies had been in phone contact with Emmons several times during the first few hours of the investigation. But according to authorities, Emmons insisted that she was in Oklahoma at a casino during the time he disappeared and continued to deny any involvement with his escape. She was due to return to work on Friday morning and agreed to meet with investigators when she returned.

Investigators continued to follow leads and conduct other interviews Thursday, gathering evidence against Emmons prior to her return. Then, on Thursday night at approximately 7:30, Emmons called one of the investigators and said she would be back in Jacksonville by 11:00 p.m. and was willing to come meet with them when she was back in town, according to officials. She did arrive at the Sheriff’s Office around 11:15 p.m. Thursday for the interview, and by that time investigators had already secured a search warrant for Emmons’ vehicle and cell phone. That search warrant was executed at 1:00 a.m. Friday after an interview with her. Officials say during that interview, she admitted to picking Wagoner up and taking him to a location in Frio County, where he was arrested. When Emmons arrived at the Sheriff’s Office for the interview, she was unaware that he had been arrested shortly after she dropped him off, according to authorities.

At 8:30 Friday morning, two investigators from Cherokee County left for Hondo to bring Wagoner back to Rusk. Wagoner is now back in the Cherokee County Jail. Emmons made her bond earlier in the day and has since been released. Officials say the investigation is still ongoing.