After four inmates successfully escaped from a Chattanooga jail, a Tennessee sheriff’s office reports that they have all been peacefully taken into custody.
“Within 24 hours of the reported escape, all four inmates were taken back into custody due to the exhaustive and extensive investigation conducted by [Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office] personnel and our federal and local partners. I am extremely proud of the efforts of our personnel who have worked tirelessly throughout the day to ensure the swift apprehension of these four wanted fugitives was accomplished,” said HCSO Chief Deputy Austin Garrett.
The inmates escaped from the Silverdale Detention Center on Saturday morning.
Two of the four inmates, Johnny Bryant and William Atkins, were captured within hours of the escape at a local motel. The other two inmates, Justin Connor and Trevor Hall, were captured Saturday evening.
All have been charged with felony escape.
“Today’s search operation included Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office Uniformed Services personnel along with all of our specialized teams including Investigative Services, K-9, Fugitive, SWAT, Patrol, Narcotics, Corrections Security, and Crime Intelligence,” according to HCSO. “In addition to the aforementioned HCSO personnel, today’s search efforts were also assisted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), U.S. Marshals, and the Chattanooga Police Department.”
HCSO did not release details of the circumstances surrounding the escape, and did not return a comment request.
Correctional facilities in Tennessee have been subject to numerous escapes this year, as reported by The Tennessee Star.
Just one month ago, two women, Katelyn Standifer and Ashley Wardlaw, escaped from a Tennessee Department of Correction (TDOC) facility in Chattanooga.
Standifer and Wardlaw were serving their sentences, which were scheduled to end in 2023, in a “release center” meant to help reintegrate them into society.
The circumstance of their escape was never revealed, though both women were recaptured within days and returned to the jail where they faced new charges for escaping.
In February, three men escaped from the Sullivan County Jail through an HVAC vent.
Those men made it to Wilmington, North Carolina, where two were found dead, and one was captured shortly thereafter.
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Pete D’Abrosca is a reporter at The Tennessee Star and The Star News Network. Email tips to [email protected].
Photo “Jail Cell” by Jobs For Felons Hub. CC BY 2.0.
