Blackburn’s brother pleads guilty in escape plan

Kim Smith

Wednesday, Nov. 3, 1999 | 10:58 a.m.

Timothy Blackburn's brother could get up to five years in prison after pleading guilty Tuesday to aiding his brother's ill-fated bid for freedom.

Terry Blackburn, 25, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Johnnie Rawlinson Tuesday to one count of aiding and assisting an escape. He faces a maximum sentence of five years in prison and up to a $250,000 fine when sentenced Feb. 11.

Defense attorney William Tidwell told Rawlinson that a few days before Timothy Blackburn escaped from the North Las Vegas Detention Center he asked his brother, who closely resembled him, to put his driver's license in his mailbox and Terry Blackburn did so.

While Terry Blackburn might have inferred that his brother was going to escape, nothing was ever said, Tidwell said. Therefore, the fact that Timothy Blackburn used a gun in his escape should not reflect on his brother when he is being sentenced, he said.

Timothy Blackburn killed himself, his wife and two small children in August three weeks after he escaped from the jail where he had been awaiting trial on robbery charges.

Terry Blackburn's wife, Seila Lim, still faces a federal count of making false statements to authorities.

Authorities allege Lim told FBI agents who were searching for Timothy Blackburn that a Nissan Pathfinder that her brother-in-law normally drove was in the shop when it was not.