LORAIN — A Lorain man who was the subject of a March manhunt has pleaded guilty to two felony charges in connection with separate cases in Lorain County Common Pleas Court.
James D. Meadows, 37, entered guilty pleas to charges of escape and tampering with evidence. The pleas stem from a March 2025 incident in which Meadows fled from law enforcement officers, leading to a large-scale search effort involving multiple agencies across Lorain County.
In that case, law enforcement reported that Meadows ran from a traffic stop, resulting in an hours-long manhunt that included the use of helicopters, K-9 units, and roadblocks. He was later located and arrested in Elyria after a brief pursuit.
In May 2025, a Lorain County grand jury indicted Meadows on multiple charges, including escape, tampering with evidence, and assault on a law enforcement officer. The recent guilty pleas resolve two of those charges.
Meadows has a history of prior arrests involving drug possession, theft, resisting arrest, and other offenses. He is currently being held at the Lorain County Jail.
Court records indicate that sentencing in the two cases is expected to take place in the coming weeks.