Man Tried to Chip Way Out of Jail, Deputies Say

The Pinellas County Jail might not be Alcatraz, but it proved as escape-proof for a Clearwater man.

According to the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office, Scott Adam Lambert, 26, tried twice to chip his way through the jail’s walls since he was incarcerated in November 2014 on robbery, fleeing to elude and drug charges, among others. Now he has a charge of escape added to the list.

The investigation into Lambert’s alleged jailhouse activities began when authorities at the 14400 49th St. N. jail in Clearwater received a tip that he was attempting an escape. The tipster told investigators Lambert was digging a hole in his current cell and tried to do the same in a cell he previously occupied.

With the information in hand, deputies launched an investigation that uncovered holes in both cells. The investigation’s outcome was announced by the agency on Tuesday.

Detectives say Lambert used a piece of metal from a broken light fixture to chip a 6-inch-by-6-inch hole that was about 1 ½ inches deep in the cell he called his own between June 11 and Sept. 14, 2015. The hole was in an exterior wall hidden by his bunk.

“Detectives say the hole had been concealed with a piece of notebook paper which was adhered to the wall with what appeared to be toothpaste,” an email from the sheriff’s office to media stated.

After finding that hole, detectives turned their attention toward the cell Lambert has occupied since Sept. 14, 2015. There they found a 4-inch-by-3-inch hole hidden by the bunk. This hole was covered up with toilet paper, the email said, and toothpaste was once again used as an adhesive.

When questioned, Lambert, the email said, admitted to trying to create the holes.

Lambert remained in the Pinellas County Jail Tuesday.

Photo courtesy of the Pinellas County Jail