A 21-year-old man who escaped from MacLaren Youth Correctional Facility in Woodburn has been arrested in western Idaho after nearly three months on the run.
Xavier Swimm of Portland was arrested after 9 p.m. Wednesday on a warrant and is being held at the Canyon County Juvenile Detention Center in Caldwell, the Oregon Youth Authority said Thursday.
Swimm escaped from MacLaren on a Sunday night, Feb. 18, with two 19-year-olds. The state agency did not know their whereabouts on Thursday, according to spokeswoman Liz Gharst said.
The agency at the time of the escape provided no other details “due to concerns of youth and staff safety, and security of the facility,” Gharst said.
Swimm came to MacLaren after being adjudicated for attempted second-degree assault and aggravated harassment in Multnomah County
Adjudications are the juvenile equivalent of a criminal conviction. The Oregon Youth Authority determines the sentences for teens prosecuted in the juvenile system and can keep them in custody until they turn 25.
Swimm also pleaded guilty to fourth-degree assault in Deschutes County Circuit Court in October 2021, when he was 19. He was in custody at the time at an Oregon Youth Authority diversion program in Bend for boys and young men in the agency’s custody who are at risk of having their parole or probation revoked and being committed to a youth correctional facility.
He served 25 days in jail before being sent back to MacLaren for violating his parole.
After Swimm escaped with the two Salem teens, the state agency announced the incident nearly a day later with a statement posted to its Facebook page. Gharst did not explain the agency’s delay in notifying the public.
The agency identified the teens as:
*Angel Diaz-Barrera of Salem, adjudicated for first-degree robbery and carrying or using a dangerous weapon in Marion County
*Julian Diaz-Navarro of Salem, adjudicated for attempted first-degree assault and carrying or using a dangerous weapon in Marion County
The agency at the time urged anyone who sees them to call 911. Anyone with information about their whereabouts are asked to call Oregon State Police at 503-375- 3555 and reference case number SP 24-054230.
MacLaren is Oregon’s largest youth correctional facility and houses up to 271 people.
The incident comes about three years after three other teenagers assaulted a MacLaren staff member, cut a hole in the facility’s perimeter fence and escaped in March 2021. They were arrested three days later near Lebanon.
This story was updated after the Oregon Youth Authority provided additional information.
RELATED COVERAGE:
Three teens escape from MacLaren Youth Correctional Facility Sunday night
Contact reporter Ardeshir Tabrizian: [email protected] or 503-929-3053.
SUPPORT OUR WORK – We depend on subscribers for resources to report on Salem with care and depth, fairness and accuracy. Subscribe today to get our daily newsletters and more. Click I want to subscribe!
Ardeshir Tabrizian has covered criminal justice and housing for Salem Reporter since September 2021. As an Oregon native, his award-winning watchdog journalism has traversed the state. He has done reporting for The Oregonian, Eugene Weekly and Malheur Enterprise.
