Northeast Philadelphia

Woman who helped men escape Northeast Philly prison sentenced

Xianni Stalling, 22, was sentenced to prison after she admitted to helping prisoners Nasir Grant and Ameen Hurst escape from the Philadelphia Industrial Correctional Center on Sunday, May 7, 2023

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A woman has been sentenced to prison after pleading guilty to helping two men escape from the Philadelphia Industrial Correctional Center in Northeast Philly last spring.

On Wednesday, 22-year-old Xianni Stalling was sentenced to serve 11-and-a-half to 23 months in prison and must spend five years on probation after she admitted to helping prisoners Nasir Grant and Ameen Hurst escape from prison on Sunday, May 7, 2023.

Stalling, from 6900 block of 15th Street, was charged with criminal conspiracy, hindering apprehension, escape and use of a communications facility.

She was accused of putting Hurst in touch with a potential getaway driver during recorded phone calls he made from jail hours before the escape.

Officials said that Stalling was one of four people who, they believe, helped aid the two men as they escaped.

Along with Stalling, police arrested Jose Flores-Huerta, 35 -- who was already in custody in the same prison with the two escapees after being arrested for his alleged role in a slaying at Pat's Steaks in 2021.

He has been charged with criminal conspiracy and escape.

Flores-Huerta is still awaiting hearings on both of these cases, according to court documents.

Police also arrested Amir Woods, 24, of Philadelphia, for allegedly helping Grant and Hurst escape. Woods, who is Hurst's brother, was charged with criminal conspiracy, hindering apprehension and other related offenses.

He too is awaiting an upcoming hearing.

Finally, Michael Abrams, 21, was also arrested for allegedly helping Hurst and Grant escape.

Abrams -- an associate of Hurst -- was arrested by the U.S. Marshals at the Fairfield Inn in Berwyn. He was charged with criminal conspiracy, hindering apprehension, escape and use of a communication facility.

Abrams is also awaiting a hearing, according to court documents.

On May 7, 2023, the 18-year-old Hurst -- along with Nasir Grant, 24 -- escaped from prison by cutting a hole in a fence surrounding a recreation yard, according to investigators.

Officials said that the pair were gone for nearly 19 hours before officials knew they were missing.

Hurst was imprisoned after being charged in four homicides, including the deadly shooting of Rodney Hargrove outside the same facility he escaped from back in March of 2021.

Grant was initially incarcerated on drug and weapons counts.

Both men have since been recaptured.

Law enforcement officials said Grant was wearing women’s Muslim clothing including a head covering that obscured his face at the time he was recaptured.

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