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Seamstress Serving Time In Bedford Hills For Prison Break Denied Parole

BEDFORD, N.Y. -- The former prison seamstress who helped two convicted murderers escape from an upstate prison in a highly publicized event has been denied parole and must remain behind bars at the Bedford Hills Correctional Facility in Westchester, multiple media reports said.

Joyce Mitchell, who is incarcerated at the Bedford Hills Correctional Facility in Bedford Hills for helping two upstate inmates escape, was denied parole Monday. Authorities told the 52-year-old that she is still a threat to society.

Joyce Mitchell, who is incarcerated at the Bedford Hills Correctional Facility in Bedford Hills for helping two upstate inmates escape, was denied parole Monday. Authorities told the 52-year-old that she is still a threat to society.

 Photo Credit: New York State Police
Convicted murderers Richard Matt, left, and David Sweat, escaped from an upstate prison in 2015 with the help of Joyce Mitchell, who is now incarcerated at the Bedford Hills Correctional Facility in Bedford Hills. Mitchell was recently denied parole.

Convicted murderers Richard Matt, left, and David Sweat, escaped from an upstate prison in 2015 with the help of Joyce Mitchell, who is now incarcerated at the Bedford Hills Correctional Facility in Bedford Hills. Mitchell was recently denied parole.

 Photo Credit: New York State Police
Carol Reif

Joyce Mitchell, 52, pleaded guilty in 2015 to smuggling the hacksaws and other tools that convicted murderers David Sweat and Richard Matt used to flee the Clinton Correctional Facility in Dannemora.

Mitchell was sentenced to up to seven years in prison in September 2015.

Matt was shot and killed by authorities while on the lam and Sweat was also shot but surviving and sent back to prison. The massive manhunt that ensued after they escaped cost the state millions of dollars in overtime alone.

Mitchell, who reportedly had a relationship with both men, got seven years for promoting prison contraband, a felony, and another year for criminal facilitation, a misdemeanor.

Mitchell, a married woman, was supposed to have been the getaway driver, but chickened out, according to multiple reports.

According to The Daily News, Mitchell was lambasted by the Parole Board, who told her she was still a threat to society, had lied to authorities, had tried to mislead the board, and didn’t deserve to go free.

Mitchell can seek parole again in June; the earliest she could be released is October, according to newyorkupstate.com.

To read The Daily News article, click here.

To read the cnn.com story, click here.

To read the newyorkupstate.com article, click here.

To read related Daily Voice stories, click here and here.

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