A convict in Peru managed to escape from prison by drugging his twin brother during a visitation.
Prison escapes often have a sense of drama about them, with some stories seeming as though they belong in the realm of fiction.
The story of Alexander Delgado Herrera stands out as particularly extraordinary.
Alexander was serving a sentence for child sexual abuse and burglary but decided to flee in January 2017.
On January 10, 2017, Alexander’s twin brother, Giancarlo Stuard Delgado, came to visit him at the Piedras Gordas prison in Peru.
The two brothers initially met in the prison’s common area and then moved towards Alexander’s cell.
Reportedly, Alexander offered Giancarlo a soda, which he unsuspectingly accepted.
Shortly after drinking it, Giancarlo lost consciousness and awoke hours later, surrounded by prison guards.
He recounted how he had been drugged by his imprisoned brother, but authorities were skeptical of his claim at first.
Due to their identical appearance, officials believed Giancarlo was actually Alexander and considered having him serve the remainder of the sentence.
At the time of his escape, Alexander had only served two years of a 16-year sentence.
Giancarlo’s innocence was proven when a fingerprint comparison confirmed the mix-up.
Despite this, Giancarlo faced suspicion of aiding in his brother’s escape.
However, he was not charged and was eventually released.
So, what ultimately happened to Alexander?
Security footage captured Alexander walking out of the prison, passing by six security checkpoints with ease.
The incident led to the dismissal of the prison director and several guards.
Alexander remained at large for more than a year before being apprehended.
In February 2018, the interior ministry announced, “Today there was the recapture of a violator who on 10 January 2017 fled Piedras Gordas when he was supplanted by his brother.”
“This relative was in detention in place of him, but today Delgado Herrera has been arrested.”
Authorities had been trying to locate Alexander for several months before finally catching up with him in the coastal city of Callao.
When he noticed the agents, Alexander attempted to flee but was quickly caught.
Following his capture, Alexander stated to the press that he escaped ‘because I was desperate to see my mother’.