News Releases

Offender Who Walked Away from San Diego Reentry Program Apprehended

Antonio Antunez, Jr.

SAN DIEGO — This morning, authorities apprehended an offender who had walked away from the Male Community Re-entry Program (MCRP) in San Diego on Friday night.

At approximately 8:40 a.m., investigators from CDCR’s Office of Correctional Safety and the United States Marshals Fugitive Task Force apprehended Antonio Antunez, Jr. without incident in the Mission Valley area of San Diego. He had walked away from the MCRP program on Oct. 29 after removing his GPS device.

Antunez is being transported to R.J. Donovan Correctional Facility and his case will be referred to the local district attorney’s office for possible escape charges. Antunez, 28, was received from San Diego County in August 2021 to serve a two-year term for first-degree burglary, and was transferred to the MCRP in October. He was scheduled to be released to county supervision in March 2022.

The MCRP allows eligible participants committed to state prison to serve the end of their sentences in the reentry center and provides them the programs and tools necessary to transition from custody to the community. The program links offenders to a range of community-based rehabilitative services that assist with substance use disorders, mental health care, medical care, employment, education, housing, family reunification and social support.

Since 1977, 99 percent of all offenders who have left an adult institution, camp, or community-based program without permission have been apprehended.

Contact: CDCR Press Office, (916) 445-4950 or opec@cdcr.ca.gov