Escaped Missouri prisoner believed to have stolen state truck from Sedalia fairgrounds

Missouri law enforcement agencies are looking for an escaped prisoner who they believe may have stolen a state truck in Sedalia.

Jason M. Laird, 44, fled from Missouri Department of Corrections custody Tuesday while on DOC work release at the fairgrounds, according to the Sedalia Police Department. He was last seen at about 4 p.m. Tuesday wearing a white t-shirt, gray pants and black boots.

Just before 6 a.m. Wednesday, Sedalia police were told that a state maintenance shed near Gate 11 of the Fairgrounds has been broken into, according to the department. A state truck was missing from the shed.

Surveillance video shows the truck, a white 2013 Chevrolet Silverado Duramax 2500 was stolen at about 11:30 p.m. Tuesday. The truck’s Missouri license plate number is 110189M.

“Given the timing of the theft and Jason’s disappearance, it is possible that Mr Laird stole the Silverado,” the department wrote in a Facebook post.

Laird, who is from the Gainsville area, was being housed at the Titpon Correctional Facility.

In May 2020, Laird was sentenced to seven years in prison after pleading guilty to charges which include first-degree burglary, tampering with a motor vehicle, second-degree burglary, stealing $750 or more, stealing a vehicle, and stealing firearms, court records show.

He is a white man who stands at about 5-feet-3-inches tall, weighs 160 pounds and has blue eyes, police said.

Anyone with information on Laird’s whereabouts is asked to call 911.