Sister pleads guilty to helping murder suspect escape

Adriana Marin Sotelo, the sister of a man charged with the murder last summer of a Wake County deputy, pleaded guilty this week to helping him break out of Piedmont Regional Jail in Virginia.

Alder Alfonso Marin-Sotelo was being held there awaiting trial for his role in the shooting death of Wake County Deputy Ned Byrd in August 2022.

Authorities allege Marin-Sotelo had help from his sister and another inmate to set up his escape from the jail. He was on the run for about four days and was captured in Mexico, where he is currently being held awaiting extradition.

Warrants allege that the siblings arranged by phone to have Adriana meet up with the sister of another inmate, Geovanni Torres-Santana, to drive a getaway car and park it outside the jail.

Geovanni Torres-Santana and the two Marin-Sotelo siblings were charged with conspiracy to instigate or assist an escape.

Phone records show Adriana called her sister to let her know their brother has escaped before the jail knew he was missing.

According to the indictment, Adriana Marin Sotelo bought a car in High Point and delivered it to the sister of Torres-Santana. The indictment also alleges that Alder Alfonso Marin-Sotelo asked his sister, Adriana Marin Sotelo, to pay the other woman $2,500 in cash.