Authorities in Texas are currently searching for Tory Dugas, a 36-year-old man who was reportedly released from jail in error while awaiting the start of a seven-year sentence. Dugas had previously been sentenced to five years for assaulting a family member and an additional two years for evading arrest, according to the Harris County Sheriff’s Office.
Dugas was in custody at Harris County jail, having been held on separate, dismissed charges. He was released at approximately 4:30 AM local time on a Sunday. The sheriff’s office has initiated a “thorough investigation” to understand the cause of what they termed his “erroneous release.” Initial inquiries suggest that staff may not have adequately documented his state prison sentence, leading to the assumption that he was eligible for release.
It was reported that jail officials did not realize Dugas was missing until the following Monday when they reviewed the list of individuals scheduled for transfer to state custody. The police have called on the public to assist in locating Dugas.
This incident is not isolated; earlier in the year, a similar mistake occurred at the Harris County jail when a man facing capital murder charges was mistakenly released due to a mix-up with another individual bearing the same name. That man returned to custody after being at large for 24 hours.
Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cd0d32ezn17o?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss