Danbury, Conn. — A woman convicted of arson and illegal firearm possession briefly escaped from a federal prison in Connecticut before being apprehended by local police, authorities confirmed on Wednesday.
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Xiaoqin Yan, 30, a Chinese national, has been serving an 8 1/2-year sentence at the Federal Correctional Institution (FCI) in Danbury since November 20. Her charges include Possession of a Firearm by an Illegal Alien and arson for setting fire to a church in Alabama in 2021.
Escape and Recapture
According to the Federal Bureau of Prisons, the escape occurred Tuesday evening when a security device at the low-security facility was triggered around 7 p.m. Local police were alerted and located Yan approximately 45 minutes later. She was returned to the custody of prison officials at about 7:45 p.m.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has been notified, and an investigation into the incident is underway. Prison staff declined to provide additional details regarding how Yan managed to escape, referring inquiries to the official statement from the Bureau of Prisons.
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Previous Convictions
Court records reveal that Yan, who had overstayed her non-immigrant visa, was prohibited from possessing firearms in the United States. She was convicted of both firearm possession and arson following a trial.
Her arson conviction stems from an incident in September 2021, when Yan set fire to the First Baptist Church of Montgomery in Alabama. Surveillance footage captured her entering the church during services, carrying two duffel bags and wearing a facemask. She was seen igniting containers of gasoline in multiple locations inside the church, causing significant damage.
Federal prosecutors noted that Yan had previous encounters with church staff and exhibited unusual behavior in the weeks leading up to the arson.
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Investigation Ongoing
As authorities investigate the circumstances surrounding Yan’s escape, questions remain about the security measures at FCI Danbury. An email seeking comment has been sent to the attorney who represented Yan during her Alabama case.
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Yan’s actions and the subsequent damage to the church in 2021 shocked the local community. The church remains under repair, while federal investigators continue to examine the motives behind her crimes.
This brief escape marks a rare incident at the Danbury facility, drawing further scrutiny as the FBI works to uncover additional details.
