A US prison guard, Gene Palmer, who is believed to have smuggled tools hidden inside hamburger meat to two prisoners who escaped during a New York state jail break has been arrested.
Palmer is the second prison worker who is detained over the jail break as Joyce Mitchell has already been charged with aiding the escape.
The prisoners, Richard Matt and David Sweat, used power tools to flee the Clinton Correctional Facility.
A massive manhunt is still underway to find the convicted killers.
Mr Palmer has been held on bail, after appearing before a judge on charges of promoting prison contraband, tampering with physical evidence, and official misconduct.
Palmer’s lawyer, Andrew Brockway, admitted his client delivered the meat, but maintained he did not know it contained the tools, nor that the prisoners plot to escape.
Mr Brockway said, “He did pass the hamburger meat. He shouldn’t have done it. He apologised for it”, adding that his client pleads not guilty.
Reports have it that Clinton’s County District Attorney, Andrew Wylie, said Ms Mitchell placed hacksaw blades and other tools inside the meat, before Palmer served Matt and Sweat, who were interred in a section where prisoners can cook their own meals.
