Elaborate jail escape stopped by deputies

HOT SPRINGS COUNTY, AR - It was far from your typical evening at the Hot Spring County Jail. More than a dozen deputies and Malvern Police officers filed in. They made their way through the hallways, and finally into the prisoners' pods.

"This is a real elaborate plan," said Sheriff Chad Ledbetter. "Extreme detail they went into to try to break Longoria out of jail."

It's not the first time someone's attempted to break Michael Longoria out of jail since he ended up there on forgery charges. Ledbetter says the first attempt came a few weeks ago, and as a result, deputies were ready for another one.

"She had this in her possession," Ledbetter said while holding up leg shackles. "It was in her vehicle."

Ledbetter was talking about Teanna Costner, who he says tried to spring Longoria. Here's how: she's accused of forging an inmate transfer document, saying Longoria had to be in court in Independence County. The sheriff says she even headed to the jail in full uniform to pick Longoria up, with a badge, a fake gun, and even a taser.

Just one problem. Deputies spotted the fake document, found out what kind of car to expect Costner in, and pulled her over before she even got to the jail.

"I was very surprised at the elaborate measures they went to," recalled Ledbetter, "every detail that they did to try to break him out."

Deputies searched the pods after arresting Costner. They put the inmates against the wall, and ended up finding a cell phone in Longoria's bed. They think he used it to coordinate the elaborate, but ultimately unsuccessful, escape.

Deputies say Costner bought the deputies uniform in Little Rock with a fake law-enforcement I.D. and forged checks. She even got pulled over in a recently purchased silver Chevy Impala, the same model driven by many police officers. Deputies say she paid for the car with forged checks as well.