Hannibal Man Now Charged with Attempted Escape

A Hannibal man already facing child molestation charges attempted to escape from authorities in Monroe County Tuesday.

The Monroe County Sheriff’s Department reports that 63 year old Robert Branch had been arrested by Highway Patrol troopers and was being booked into the Monroe County Jail when he attempted to escape through an unsecured door in the booking area. He was quickly stopped.

Monroe County Prosecuting Attorney Talley Kendrick charged Branch Thursday with attempting to escape while in custody.

Branch had been charged in Marion County in June with two counts of sexual abuse involving a minor between five and 15 years old, with four more sexual abuse charges added earlier this month.

Branch is in the Monroe County Jail on $100,000 bond. He has an arraignment hearing scheduled for August 28th in Palmyra.