LEBANON, Mo. (AP) — Several Laclede County jail employees have been disciplined after an armed robbery suspect escaped by posing as another inmate and then was recaptured after crashing a stolen car while fleeing.
KYTV reports that Laclede County Sheriff David Millsap says staff was to blame for failing to confirm Steven Joe Mitchell’s identify before releasing him.
Millsap says no one was fired, but some employees were suspended without pay or reprimanded in writing.
Release procedures also are being strengthened.
Mitchell now faces additional charges.
And Millsap says that although the investigation into whether Mitchell had help is ongoing, he anticipates other inmates will face more charges as well.
He says the original story about Mitchell taking paperwork from an inmate who fell asleep while waiting to be released doesn’t appear to be true.
