CLEARFIELD– Clearfield County District Attorney, William A. Shaw, Jr., announced today that an inmate has escaped from the Clearfield County Jail.

Shaw identified the inmate as Ronald James Beltowski, age 19, of 725 Stifflertown Road, Cherry Tree, Pennsylvania. Beltowksi is described as a white male, six feet tall, weighing approximately 160 pounds, with brown hair. Beltowski was last seen wearing an orange jump suit.

Beltowski was being held in the County Jail as the result of a criminal complaint filed on September 5, 2007, by Trooper Mark Rorabaugh of the Pennsylvania State Police, Punxsutawney, charging Beltowski with Theft by Unlawful Taking and Receiving Stolen Property

Shaw reported that Beltowski escaped from custody at approximately 2:30 pm on September 23, 2007.

A manhunt is currently underway in the Clearfield area. Officers from the Clearfield County Jail, Clearfield County Sheriffs Department, Clearfield Borough Police Department, Lawrence Township Police Department, Curwensville Borough Police Department, Sandy Township Police Department the DuBois City Police Department and the Morris-Cooper Police Department are participating in the search. Efforts are being supported by Clearfield Emergency Management and the Clearfield Volunteer Fire Company.

Anyone with information is requested to contact Clearfield County Control at 765-1533

(A person charged with a crime is presumed innocent until proven guilty.)