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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Man who aided in burglary, assault after escaping Spokane work release sentenced

Anthony J. Gibson, who escaped from a Spokane work release facility in Februrary and aided in a robbery and assault two weeks later, was sentenced in Spokane County Superior Court Thursday. (Crime Stoppers of the Inland Northwest)

A man who escaped from a Spokane work release facility in February and aided in a burglary and assault two weeks later was sentenced Thursday in Spokane County Superior Court.

Anthony J. Gibson, 26, escaped Feb. 6 from the state Department of Corrections Brownstone Work Release Facility after he did not return from a trip to a dollar store, according to court documents. He was serving a sentence for a 2013 conviction on assault charges.

Investigators say Gibson and two others broke into an apartment owned by a married couple known to the suspects on Feb. 23. One of the suspects, Jesse Spears, stabbed a person in the apartment in the leg and was arrested a few days later. Spears was convicted on an assault charge in May.

Spokane police arrested Gibson on Aug. 23 after a high-speed car chase, according to court documents. He then abandoned his car and barricaded himself in another vehicle owned by his girlfriend, leading to an hourlong standoff.

Police located a handgun that investigators determined Gibson had been illegally carrying and found drugs and a scale in the girlfriend’s car, according to court documents.

Gibson plead guilty to unlawfully possessing a firearm on Wednesday, then pleaded guilty to third-degree assault, second-degree burglary, escaping from law enforcement custody, attempting to elude police and two counts of drug possession on Thursday.

He was sentenced to 75 months in prison for the charges.