Area police agencies are still on the lookout for Erie County
(N.Y.) Correctional Facility escapee Ralph B. “Bucky” Phillips, who
was believed to be spotted in Bradford on Saturday.

According to a Bradford City Police officer Sunday, there was no
confirmed sighting of Phillips in the Bradford area. The officer
said people may have seen someone that could have been Phillips,
but there was nothing specific and nothing that ties him here. The
officer thought people recognized a person as someone that looked
like Phillips’s photograph, but nothing was confirmed.

“We’re pretty sure,” a representative of the Cattaraugus County
(N.Y.) Sheriff’s Office said Sunday about Phillips, 43, being
sighted in Bradford Saturday. “I can’t say for 100 percent
sure.”

The city police officer said the department did not conduct any
building searches for Phillips, adding there were helicopters from
Erie County, N.Y., that were flying over the area Saturday night
because they were trying to check every lead they had.

A representative for the Erie County Sheriff’s Office said
Sunday night that helicopters seen over Bradford Saturday may have
been due to possible sightings of Phillips in Cattaraugus County,
and helicopters were just checking the area. He said the patrols
notified local agencies.

The city police officer said there was no new information on
Phillips and that he had not been apprehended as of Sunday
afternoon.

Phillips was reportedly sighted at the Comfort Inn in Bradford.
An employee at the hotel said Sunday that while she knew if there
was some truth or not behind the alleged sighting, she wasn’t sure
she could say anymore. She referred all questions to Comfort Inn’s
general manager, who would not be in the office until this
morning.

Meanwhile, Phillips was also apparently seen Saturday morning
eating breakfast at a restaurant in Bradford, but that also could
not be confirmed.

Cattaraugus County Sheriff Dennis John reported Friday the
confirmed sighting of Phillips, who had escaped from the Erie
County Correctional Facility at Alden, N.Y., April 4 and is also
wanted by the Erie County Sheriff on a parole violation.

A representative for the Erie County Sheriff’s Office said
Sunday night that Phillips was incarcerated in the Erie County
Correctional Facility for a parole violation, noting he was on
parole for burglary charges.

According to John, Phillips was identified at 9 p.m. Friday at
an isolated camp on Hungry Hollow Road in the Town of Great Valley,
N.Y. Phillips had a brief conversation with the owner of the camp
and was apparently last seen traveling on a motorcycle that was
stolen from a Town of Allegany, N.Y., residence.

Deputies found the motorcycle dumped on the side of South Nine
Mile Road near the Vandalia bridge in Allegany. Phillips is now
believed to be traveling around in a green Ford Ranger, according
to a representative from the sheriff’s office.

Phillips was possibly headed toward the Bradford area and was
last seen wearing a camouflage jacket with the word “Bud” on the
front, black nylon pants, white sneakers and a camouflage backpack.
A representative from the sheriff’s office said Phillips may
possibly be wearing different clothes than he was last seen in.

Phillips is a Native American male, standing about 6 feet tall
and weighing 235 pounds. He has brown hair and about a 3- to 4-day
growth of facial hair, a mustache and long ponytail.

A recent rash of burglaries in the area where Phillips was seen
suggests he is active at night. Officials said residents should
lock their building and car doors and remove their keys while
vehicles are unattended.

Phillips was also seen wearing a holster with an unknown caliber
handgun on his right side.

John confirmed that Phillips is in possession of a handgun and
should be considered armed and dangerous. Anyone sighting Phillips
should contact law enforcement and not approach the subject.

A representative of the sheriff’s office said Sunday if someone
spots Phillips that person should stay calm, contact local
authorities and let the authorities do their job.

“Use your head and be aware,” he said.