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CHICAGO (CBS) ― The Cook County the State's Attorney's office has moved to fire the two investigators blamed for the escape of prisoner Robert Maday.

Nicholas Argentine, 57, and Joseph D. Fallon, 69, were fired for not following proper procedures on Sept. 17, when Maday escaped from custody.

Maday was the subject of an intense twenty six hour manhunt in the west and northwest suburbs after his escape.

A statement from Cook County State's Attorney Anita Alvarez on Thursday said the investigators violated numerous policies and procedures.

"The escape of this prisoner was an extremely serious breach of security that put the health and welfare of an untold number of Cook County residents at risk," Alvarez said in the statement. "Our investigation has shown that the investigators displayed an inexcusable and unacceptable inattention to duty."

In the escape, Maday allegedly unbuckled his seat belt, lunged toward the front seat of the car between the investigators and grabbed a gun from the driver. He was handcuffed and shackled at the time, but Thursday's statement said the restraining devices "were not properly affixed."

The investigators were told by a supervisor to transport Maday, who was facing state charges while already in federal custody, in a cage car, but did not. They also allowed Maday to sit in the back seat of the car by himself, a violation of department policy, according to the statement.

Argentine's attorney Joseph Roddy said he was surprised Alvarez decided to fire the investigators.

"It's an overreaction," Roddy said. "It's not malfeasance of office."

He called the allegation that a supervisor ordered the investigators to take a cage car "a lot of nonsense."

"This does not consider his entire career," Roddy said, adding that Argentine plans to take the case to arbitration through the Fraternal Order of Police.

Fallon could not immediately be reached for comment.

As a result of the escape, the state's attorney's office brought in the U.S. Marshals Service to train supervisors and command staff in transporting prisoners. Alvarez's investigators also have received additional training.

The State's Attorney's office also has ordered more cage cars for the transport of prisoners.

Maday, 39, allegedly overpowered the investigators on Sept. 17, taking their weapons and stealing their car as he was being driven from Kankakee to a hearing at the Rolling Meadows courthouse.

An intense manhunt ensued immediately, but Maday wasn't found through the night. The next day, his morning allegedly included hijacking a Volkswagen Jetta from a woman in Hoffman Estates and robbing a bank in west suburban Bloomingdale, the same bank he was charged with robbing in 2008.

Maday was apprehended Sept. 18 after a police chase ended in a car crash. He allegedly crashed the stolen car he was driving at the intersection of North Avenue and Route 59 in West Chicago.

He was sentenced to 13 years in prison on Oct. 27 after pleading guilty in July to four counts of aggravated robbery and one count of attempted robbery. It was a hearing on those charges he was being taken to when he escaped.

He has pleaded not guilty to two counts of aggravated hijacking and one count of attempted robbery.

The Chicago Sun-Times reported last month that Alvarez is also considering age limits for future hires.

The average age of the 163 investigators in the state's attorney's office is 56, records show. Fallon is 69 and Argentine is 57.

Like Fallon, many of the investigators are retired Chicago Police officers and detectives. Fallon had been a driver for former Cook County State's Attorney Dick Devine.

WBBM Newsradio 780 and the Sun-Times Media Wire contributed to this report.

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