Overview
- Miguel Banuelos, 49, walked away from Washington Ridge Conservation Camp on July 4, 2026 and has not been returned to custody.
- Mexican authorities located and arrested him in Tijuana on July 6, 2026 but a Mexican magistrate ordered his release on July 10, 2026.
- The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation and the Nevada County Sheriff’s Office say an arrest warrant remains active and officers are actively searching for Banuelos.
- Banuelos was serving a seven-year sentence for large-quantity drug convictions and had been transferred to the low-security fire camp from San Diego County on July 23, 2025.
- Officials note about 99% of people who walk away from camps are eventually caught, and the case highlights how cross‑border court decisions can complicate efforts to return escaped inmates to U.S. custody; the public is urged to report tips to 911, the Nevada County Sheriff’s Office, or OCS Special Agent Tim Keeney at (916) 210-9159.