Two men who escaped the Lawrence County Jail Sunday night wereapprehended by U.S. marshals in Baton Rouge late Tuesday, saidSheriff Joel Thames.

“Having inmates escape the jail is the sheriff’s worstnightmare,” Thames said. “Thank goodness we have the technology andresources to catch them.”

Aaron Smith, 24, who was in jail on charges of aggravatedassault, and David Sanchez, 20, who was booked on charges ofburglary, assaulted a jailer and left him in a locked cell Sundaynight.

Officials say the escapees’ jail clothes and the keys to thejail were found not far away. They allegedly stole a purse and acar from an acquaintance and made their escape to Baton Rouge,Thames said.

“(Authorities) found the car early yesterday morning, and we hadinformation from a witness that they were in an apartment buildingdown there,” he said today.

Thames said the U.S. marshals set up outside the apartmentcomplex after several other witnesses said they had seen the twomen.

“They interviewed a couple of people in the complex who verifiedthey did see the two come in there, and last night around 8:28 p.m.the marshals and the Louisiana State Police went in there and foundthem,” Thames said.

Both Smith and Sanchez will appear before a magistrate onWednesday morning, at which point extradition papers will bepresented. Thames said upon extradition, additional charges will beawaiting both escapees.

“There’ll be escape charges on both of them as well asaggravated assault on a law enforcement officer,” he said. “I’mglad we’ve got them apprehended.”

Thames said evidently the men fled south because one of them hada family member in Baton Rouge. Both men are originally fromLawrence County.