CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Two prisoners escaped from a work camp near the Mount Olive Correctional Complex early Monday.

A Fayette County emergency dispatcher identified the fugitives as William Okey Cline, 25, and Kenneth Ray Hager, 30. The men apparently escaped from the work camp near the prison about 1 a.m. Monday. The work camp is on prison grounds, but outside the security fence.

There are 48 prisoners assigned to the camp, said Joe Thornton, spokesman for the state Department of Military Affairs and Public Safety.

"It's minimum -- below minimum security," Thornton said. "They have to meet certain criteria, pretty much be model prisoners to get access to the work camp."

The prisoners allowed to work at the camp have close to expiring sentences as well, he said.

"You're not going to take someone that just got into prison to serve a five-year sentence and put them in a work camp," he said.

The two men apparently scaled a chain-link fence to escape, Thornton said.

Cline is serving one to 10 years on a daytime burglary conviction from Wyoming County, according to a wanted poster issued by the state Division of Corrections. He is a white male with brown hair and eyes, about 6-feet, 1-inch tall, 195 pounds and has numerous tattoos.

Hager is serving several concurrent and consecutive prison terms for breaking and entering, daytime burglary and grand larceny in Boone County. Hager is also about 6-foot-1, 170 pounds and also has numerous tattoos.

Both prisoners are considered non-violent.

Including Cline and Hager, six inmates have escaped from the work camp near Mount Olive in the past two years. 

Reporter Gary Harki contributed to this report. Reach Rusty Marks at rustyma...@wvgazette.com or 304-348-1215.

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Two prisoners escaped from a work camp near the Mount Olive Correctional Complex early Monday.

A Fayette County emergency dispatcher identified the fugitives as William Okey Cline, 25, and Kenneth Ray Hager, 30. The men apparently escaped from the work camp near the prison about 1 a.m. Monday. The work camp is on prison grounds, but outside the security fence.

There are 48 prisoners assigned to the camp, said Joe Thornton, spokesman for the state Department of Military Affairs and Public Safety.

"It's minimum -- below minimum security," Thornton said. "They have to meet certain criteria, pretty much be model prisoners to get access to the work camp."

The prisoners allowed to work at the camp have close to expiring sentences as well, he said.

"You're not going to take someone that just got into prison to serve a five-year sentence and put them in a work camp," he said.

The two men apparently scaled a chain-link fence to escape, Thornton said.

Cline is serving one to 10 years on a daytime burglary conviction from Wyoming County, according to a wanted poster issued by the state Division of Corrections. He is a white male with brown hair and eyes, about 6-feet, 1-inch tall, 195 pounds and has numerous tattoos.

Hager is serving several concurrent and consecutive prison terms for breaking and entering, daytime burglary and grand larceny in Boone County. Hager is also about 6-foot-1, 170 pounds and also has numerous tattoos.

Both prisoners are considered non-violent.

Including Cline and Hager, six inmates have escaped from the work camp near Mount Olive in the past two years. 

Reporter Gary Harki contributed to this report. Reach Rusty Marks at rustyma...@wvgazette.com or 304-348-1215.