Authorities have taken into custody an inmate who walked away from a state correctional facility in McAlester in February and was believed to be in eastern Oklahoma.
The Oklahoma Department of Corrections said 36-year-old Robey Butler was apprehended at 9:25 a.m., March 2, and taken back into custody. Haskell County Sheriff Terry Garland said Butler was arrested near Keota.
A Facebook post from the Haskell Police Department reads, “After receiving a tip from a local fisherman earlier today, Butler has been apprehended in Haskell County. We are grateful for the vigilance of our citizens and the quick, coordinated response from law enforcement agencies that led to his capture without incident. This is exactly why community awareness matters. When people speak up, it makes a difference. Thank you to everyone who shared information and remained alert.”
Butler walked away from the Jackie Brannon Correctional Center at about 9 p.m. on Feb. 18 and was later determined to be a walk-away inmate, prompting an orange alert. It was confirmed by the Haskell Police Department that Butler took somebody hostage before releasing them.
Butler is currently serving a six-year sentence out of Sequoyah County for child neglect.
Courtesy of Haskell Sheriff’s Office