The Yonkers Police Department has successfully captured Geraldo ROJAS, the escaped prisoner on the run since yesterday morning.
After approximately twenty-nine hours of intensive search efforts, our Yonkers Police Detectives assigned to the Major Case Squad and Field Intelligence Division, along with Agents and Task Force Officers assigned to the FBI Westchester Safe Streets Task Force, located ROJAS after he escaped from Saint Joseph’s Hospital. During the operation, ROJAS was located in the Bronx, NY, and was taken into custody without incident. The swift response from law enforcement personnel ensured the escapee could not flee further.
ROJAS was arrested and booked on July 21st, 2023, by members of the Yonkers Police Department for multiple robberies that occurred in Yonkers. On July 22nd, 2023, before ROJAS could appear in court, he suffered a medical event that required Yonkers Police Officers to transport him to Saint Joseph’s Hospital. ROJAS was arraigned by a Judge in the hospital during the early afternoon hours on July 22nd, 2023, and remanded to the County Jail awaiting trial. However, because he was not medically discharged from the hospital, custody of ROJAS was transferred to the Westchester County Department of Correction.
Correction Officers were sent to assume the prisoner watch of Rojas at Saint Joseph’s Hospital, beginning at approximately 6:00 PM on July 22nd, 2023. At approximately 4:30 AM on July 23rd, 2023, ROJAS managed to escape from the custody of Westchester County Department of Correction Officers. From the onset, Yonkers Police Major Case Detectives and Officers assigned to the Yonkers Police AWARE Room reviewed hours of surveillance video around the City, tracking ROJAS’ escape route to lead the investigation in the right direction.
Escape from custody, in ROJAS’ case, is a crime punishable as a felony in the State of New York; therefore, the Yonkers Police Department then assumed the primary investigative role of ROJAS’ crime of escape. Westchester County Department of Correction is the primary investigative agency of the internal investigation into the details of ROJAS’ escape at Saint Joseph’s Hospital.
City of Yonkers Mayor Mike Spano stated, “The apprehension of this felon speaks to the great Police work and collaboration among our Yonkers Police Detective Division and FBI. In just 29 hours, this individual is off the streets and in custody, ensuring the safety of our residents. Congratulations on a job well done.”
“We are relieved that Geraldo Rojas is back in custody,” said Yonkers Police Commissioner Christopher Sapienza. “Our dedicated Detectives and Task Force Officers worked tirelessly to locate and apprehend Rojas to ensure the safety of our citizens. Their unwavering commitment to upholding the law serves as a powerful reminder that fugitives will not evade justice in Yonkers and that public safety remains a top priority for our city.”
ROJAS is now lodged in the City of Yonkers Jail, awaiting transport to the Westchester County Jail. This successful capture stands as a testament to the diligence and expertise of our local law enforcement professionals in collaboration with our top-tier investigative partners in the FBI. ###
