Escaped Inmate Clement ‘Smiley’ Leach Jr. Awarded Donkey Of The Day

H1umkaa4l

What a hefty serving of irony.

A burglary suspect who escaped from a Louisiana jail went from the frying pan into the fire this week when he stopped to eat at a restaurant popular with cops, US Marshals officials told NOLA.com.

Clement “Smiley” Leach Jr., 49, was busted Tuesday at Sammy’s po-boy spot in New Orleans — where law enforcement officers get a 10 percent discount, the outlet reported.

Leach was quickly spotted by an alert Crimestoppers tipster, and US marshals and local Sheriff’s deputies took him back into custody, Deputy US Marshal Brian Fair said.

He had escaped on Feb. 24 as he was being transported from the Orleans Parish Temporary Detention Center to the jail kitchen, sheriff officials said.

Sammy Schloegel, who co-owns the restaurant, said a team of roughly 15 officers pulled Leach from inside the crowded eatery, which serves up local specialties like cajun fried chicken, stuffed catfish and several varieties of po-boys.

“They instantly got him, surprised him, handcuffed him and took him outside,” Schloegel said.

The quick takedown was due in part to the fact that local US Marshals meet at the breakfast-and-lunch hotspot up to three times a month, Schloegel said.

“They knew just where to come in,” the co-owner said.

It’s unclear who called in the tip, but Schloegel said he was unaware that anyone from his establishment recognized Leach, who had been awaiting trial on several counts of burglary, NOLA.com reports.

Leach, who was on parole prior to his arrest on burglary charges, was also required to register as a sex offender following his conviction in California for unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor.

[via New York Post]