Escapee nabbed by troopers

MAT-SU — A man who walked away from an Anchorage halfway house made it all the way to Glennallen before he was rearrested.

Alaska State Troopers found Ricky Laupola, 36, near Mile 186, Glenn Highway after responding to a report of a man high on methamphetamine destroying a trailer and a car, according to trooper dispatches. When troopers arrived in the area, they found Laupola and heard the sound of things being smashed inside the trailer, troopers said.

After causing nearly $1,000 in damage in Glennallen, Laupola then threatened troopers with a hammer and carpentry square.

Troopers say they subdued him and charged him with one count each of third-degree and fourth-degree criminal mischief, according to police. He is jailed at Mat-Su Pre-Trial Facility Tuesday, authorities said.

During a records check, troopers discovered Laupola — while not listed in the APSIN law enforcement database “for unknown reasons” — was an escapee from the Glenwood Center halfway house in Anchorage, according to reports. Troopers also charged Laupola with one count of escape.

Laupola was convicted of first-degree armed robbery after a guilty plea June 8, 2009, according to Alaska Court documents. He was sentenced to 14 years incarceration (with four suspended) and an additional two years with 18 months suspended for being a felon in possession of a handgun.

Officials with the Department of Corrections and State Troopers said it wasn’t immediately clear why Laupola wasn’t listed as wanted in the state law enforcement database.

A warrant for his arrest would have been issued when Laupola was discovered to be missing, said Sherrie Daigle, a deputy director for corrections.

Walkways aren’t unusual, Daigle said.

“The state troopers are notified as soon as possible,” she said. “It could be possible there could be an administrative delay.”

“That (entering the warrant into APSIN) would be a state trooper responsibility,” Daigle added.

The walkaway — halfway houses allow for residents to leave for a portion of the day — occurred in Anchorage, it likely would have been first reported to the Anchorage Police Department and not the trooper, according to troopers spokesperson Megan Peters.

Contact Brian O’Connor at 352-2269 or brian.oconnor@frontiersman.com.