A Blair County Prison inmate was arraigned Monday on charges of attempted escape after an investigation into an August incident.

According to court documents, Joseph Michael Mazza, 30, of DuBois, was arraigned before Magisterial District Judge Paula M. Aigner on felony charges of criminal conspiracy engaging-escape and criminal attempt-escape, along with misdemeanor charges of possessing an instrument of crime and institutional vandalism. Bail was set at $100,000, and he was returned to the prison.

Another inmate, Jason Zackery Sanderlin, 23, of Somerset, faces identical charges. His case remains inactive, according to the online court docket.

Court documents state the two men were being housed in the same block where they are accused of breaking out a window and collecting items for an escape.

On Aug. 12, Hollidaysburg Borough police were told a corrections officer received information from Windber police that a possible escape was going to occur that night. Windber police received the information from a woman who had visited an inmate at the Blair prison, the report states.

The Blair prison was put on lockdown, and during a security check, a corrections office saw Sanderlin put toothpaste on a piece of cardboard next to a broken window.

Sanderlin was told to stop and a cold breeze was felt coming from the window, the report states.

Mazza was inside the dorm with Sanderlin, police reported.

A search of the room turned up a broom with a broken handle and a homemade rope with footholds made from prison-issued clothing.

During the investigation, police were told that both Mazza and Sanderlin were involved in the planned escape and that the two had tried to get a steel shower rod, but failed.

In an interview with the police, the woman who told Windber police about the possible escape said she was told the escape was to happen as people were leaving after visiting inmates. The plan was to hurt or kill the visitors and steal their vehicle, the woman told police.

The inmate the woman was visiting told police that a thunderstorm was to be used as cover as Mazza and Sanderlin escaped. He said the duo used the broom handle to remove glass blocks from the dorm wall. Other inmates were planning to break out as well, he told police.

The inmate said Sanderlin and Mazza earlier had planned to tie up a corrections officer and escape through the ceiling to the roof.

Charges against Mazza and Sanderlin were filed on Oct 24, according to court documents.

According to online court records, Mazza is behind bars on charges related to a pair of armed robberies in Blair County in July.

Sanderlin pleaded guilty in August to robbery, burglary, theft, aggravated assault, reckless endangerment, criminal conspiracy to commit robbery and receiving stolen property in two cases. He was sentenced to eight to 16 years in a state prison.