The Latest: New York prison guard charged after 2 murderers escaped is suspended without pay

New York State Department of Corrections Officers search a barn in Owls Head, N.Y. for convicted murderers Richard Matt and David Sweat, Friday, June 26, 2015. Police shifted a focus of their three week search closer to the Canadian border. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer) (The Associated Press)

prev next

New York State Department of Corrections Officers and a forest ranger, left, search an area in Owls Head, N.Y. for convicted murderers Richard Matt and David Sweat, Friday, June 26, 2015. Police shifted a focus of their three week search closer to the Canadian border. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer) (The Associated Press)

New York State Department of Corrections Officers search an area in Owls Head, N.Y. for convicted murderers Richard Matt and David Sweat, Friday, June 26, 2015. Police shifted a focus of their three week search closer to the Canadian border. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer) (The Associated Press)

DANNEMORA, N.Y. – The latest on the hunt for two inmates who escaped from a maximum-security prison (all times local):

___

9:15 a.m.

New York state prison officials say the corrections officer charged after the escape of two convicted murderers has been suspended without pay.

Gene Palmer's suspension from his $72,644-a-year job comes after he was arrested Wednesday night on charges of promoting prison contraband, tampering with evidence and official misconduct.

Palmer has told investigators he provided paint, tools and prison catwalk access to Clinton Correctional Facility inmates Richard Matt and David Sweat, who escaped June 6. But the 57-year-old veteran guard says he had no idea they were planning to escape.

Before the charges came down, Palmer was suspended with pay from his job at the northern New York prison.

He is free on $25,000 bail.