Inmate John Manchec had a risky escape plan from the Indian River County Jail, but the sheriff’s office stopped it on April 10, 2023. The Sheriff’s Office found out about the plan through contact information and started an investigation right away.
With help from the Real Time Crime Center, an idea from Sheriff Eric Flowers, detectives started working on the case quickly and thoroughly.
The people involved and their charges and bail are:
- John Manchec: Trying to Escape, $250,000 Bail
- Byron Harvey: Planning a Crime, Illegal Use of Two-Way Communication, $150,000 Bail
- Kristen Maso De Moya: Planning a Crime (arrested in St. Lucie County)
- Ben Bashton: Planning a Crime, $50,000 Bail
- Kerry Shephard: Planning a Crime, $50,000 Bail
It turns out John Manchec was arrested before on December 18, 2014, for having 49 pieces of child pornography in Vero Beach, found by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. After he paid his bail on December 19, 2014, Manchec left the country to avoid going to court.
But, he was later caught in the Dominican Republic and brought back to the United States.
While he was in the Indian River County Jail, Manchec made friends with Kerry Shephard and Byron Harvey. Manchec had Harvey working for him at his company, Aero Shade.
During the investigation, detectives found out that Manchec paid Harvey’s bail to get him out, and Shepherd got paid through Ben Bashton, who wasn’t in jail. Kristen Maso De Moya was involved in the plan. Bashton and Maso De Moya also worked at Manchec’s company, Aero Shade.
Detectives found out Manchec’s escape plan was to start when he had a doctor’s appointment. Shepherd would tell Harvey when Manchec was leaving the jail to start the plan.
The plan was to attack the Corrections Deputies when Manchec was brought to the doctor, free Manchec, and get away using several cars, including a truck and van that Manchec bought just for the escape.
Detectives found out Manchec’s plan was to go to a castle named Chateau De Pechrigal in France, which his company owned, after the escape. They also found out that Manchec had a lot of resources, like a private plane, “The Navajo,” at the Fort Pierce Regional Airport in St. Lucie County.
As a multimillionaire with homes in both France and the US, as well as the British Virgin Islands, it seemed like Manchec was planning to use his money and resources to help him escape.
After two months, detectives stopped the escape plan from happening. The people who were part of the plan were caught and are now in the Indian River County Jail.
Manchec will stay in the Indian River County Jail, and he will be held accountable for his crimes. The fast work of the Indian River County Sheriff’s Office stopped a dangerous situation and made the community safer.
