Felon Flees, Leaves Family In Bind

James Sanford and his lawyer were outside the St. Clair County Courthouse in Port Huron when they were notified a jury had reached a verdict on drug and weapons charges Sanford faced.

Sanford and Mike West, the lawyer, took an elevator up to the courthouse's third floor. When they got out, Sanford told West he had to use the restroom.

West said he told Sanford to inform court officials, which he did, and he was granted permission to visit the restroom. Then he left for the bathroom.

"That is pretty much the last we saw of him," West said.

The jury found Sanford guilty of six charges -- including manufacturing and delivering a controlled substance and possessing a firearm while committing a felony. But no one can find Sanford.

"He just plain walked out of the court like nobody saw him walk out," Wayne Lepiors, Sanford's brother-in-law, said about the Sept. 26 incident.