A former guard helped bust out a federal prisoner from the jail west of Grand Forks where she used to work, and the liberally tattooed pair are on the run Sunday, authorities said.

Wesley E. Brown escaped from the jail in Devils Lake about 11:30 p.m. March 13, and the U.S. Marshals Service suspects that Rachel Chepulis, 26, is with him.

The pair was last seen in a white 2015 Toyota Rav4 with North Dakota plate KMN 172, Dan Orr, chief deputy U.S. marshal for North Dakota, said last week.

Chepulisis charged with instigating or assisting an escape, concealing person from arrest, and conspiracy to commit escape.

Brown had been in federal custody awaiting sentencing after he pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm by a felon and escape.

Brown is described as white, 6 feet 1 inches tall, 250 pounds with brown hair and brown eyes. He has numerous tattoos on his arms, a tattoo on the side of his neck which reads "Momma Tried," tattoos on his back that include the words "Raven" and "Lynn," a cow's skull with the words "Southern Bred" and a Confederate flag. He also has a teardrop tattoo near his right eye.

Paul Walsh — Handout, Star Tribune
Wesley E. Brown escaped from the jail in Devils Lake about 11:30 p.m. March 13, and the U.S. Marshals Service suspects that Rachel Chepulis, 26, is with him.

Brown had also escaped from a jail in Rugby, N.D., in June 2013 but was captured within hours.

Chepulis is described as white, 5 feet 9 inches tall, about 200 pounds, with blond hair and blue eyes. She has a distinctive black widow spider tattoo on the right side of her neck, a tattoo of four stars on her neck, and a tattoo on her left ring finger spells WEB, which are Brown's initials.

Anyone with information about the two's whereabouts is asked to contact the U.S. Marshals Service at 1-800-472-2121 or call local law enforcement.

Paul Walsh • 612-673-4482