on charges that he helped the inmates escape. >> it's believed that gene palmer delivered tools inside frozen meat to the two prisoners. palmer had been on paid leave since last week as the search for those prisoners continues. abc's linzie janis reports. >> reporter: this man, prison corrections officer gene palmer, under arrest in the connection with the escape of convicted killers richard matt and david sweat. >> those four charges consist of two counts of tampering with physical evidence, one count of promoting prison contraband and the last charge is official misconduct. he would take both matt and sweat back behind the cells in the catwalk area. that is totally inappropriate behavior for a correction officer. >> reporter: police now combing these dense woods for the escapees and issuing a chilling warning. >> just about every cabin or outbuilding in the north country has one or more shotguns or weapons. they're extremely dangerous. they're cunning. >> reporter: police found their dna on food in a remote hunting cabin. we're just outside of the search zone here, but you can see what