Man who escaped Pennsylvania prison, led police on manhunt sentenced to 15-30 more years behind bars

CHESTER COUNTY, Pa. — A man who escaped from a Pennsylvania prison and led police on a nearly two week long manhunt last August has been sentenced to more time behind bars.

Danelo Cavalcante was sentenced to 15 to 30 more years in prison after he pleaded guilty to multiple charges stemming from his escape, the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office announced Friday.

>> State police update on escaped murderer Danelo Cavalcante: now armed, ‘extremely dangerous’

Cavalcante, 35, broke out of the Chester County Prison on Aug. 31, 2023 by scaling a wall and maneuvering past a razor-wire fence. He went on the run across several neighborhoods and the countryside for 13 days.

During the manhunt, Cavalcante committed several crimes, including two residential burglaries where the homeowners were present, theft of an automobile, theft of a firearm and possession of a firearm by a person not eligible to carry.

Cavalcante was caught on Sept. 13 in a heavily wooded area in Chester County.

Before his escape, Cavalcante was serving a life sentence without the possibility of parole for murdering his ex-girlfriend.

“This defendant was already serving a life sentence when he escaped and put an entire community on edge as he continued to commit more crimes while on the run,” said Attorney General Michelle Henry. “I commend the immense effort of the hundreds of troopers, officers, and agents who worked tirelessly to bring him into custody.”

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