Kristoffer Ion

JACKSON TWP — A township man remains behind bars after he allegedly made a getaway from house arrest.

Kristoffer M. Ion, 26, told authorities his electronic monitoring device came off on its own.

But instead of turning himself in, according to court documents, he stayed on the lam for nearly a week until Jackson Township police captured him Thursday after a foot chase.

Ion was subsequently placed in the Butler County Prison on a probation violation. County detectives Friday charged him with a felony count of escape for allegedly removing his GPS ankle bracelet earlier this month.

According to his criminal complaint and court records, Ion was placed on electronic monitoring April 20 following a parole violation in connection with his conviction in a 2013 burglary case in Forward Township.

MHY Family Services in Adams Township, which provides services for adult and juvenile offenders participating in the county's community monitoring program, notified authorities June 8 that the defendant's device had generated a tamper alarm.

Ion by telephone told his case manager that the bracelet “fell off,” documents said. He was advised to promptly meet his manager to have the device reattached.

But that didn't happen, detectives said.

The monitor on June 12 was found under a bush on Brush Creek Trail in Cranberry Township.

Just before 2 a.m. Thursday, a Jackson Township police officer spotted Ion. The defendant ran but he apparently did not get far before he was chased down.

Arraignment on the escape charge is pending.