AMERICUS — A county inmate was recaptured Tuesday in southwest Georgia after escaping Sunday through the jail fence.
Sumter County Chief Deputy Eric Bryant told WALB-TV that Charlie Lester was found in an abandoned house in Americus.
Lester escaped from the Sumter County Jail, where he was being held on charges including rape, sodomy, aggravated sodomy, enticing a child and other sex offenses. He escaped, while outside for recreation, through multiple layers of fencing. Bryant said Lester may have broken part of the fence, but said the barrier has been repaired and that additional reinforced fencing may be added.
The inmate was apprehended on Oglethorpe Avenue and Mayo Street, on the north side of Americus. He was caught about 5:15 p.m. inside an abandoned house, the sheriff’s office reported.
Officials arrested two other people Tuesday who they believe helped Lester escape or hide, Bryant said. Their names were not released, and no charges were announced.
How did he escape?
“Based on what we’ve found, and of course we’re still looking into it, it appears that there might have been an area in the visitation fencing that he might have compromised. But there’s so many scenarios, and of course, we have video footage that we’re reviewing because there was multiple fences he had to go through and go over,” Bryant told the news station.
Lester will face additional charges of escape, Bryant said.
Keep Reading
The Latest
Featured
