The DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office is in search of three inmates who escaped the DeKalb County Jail early Monday morning. The U.S. Marshal for Northern Georgia has also put out a BOLO for one of the inmates, a convicted felon with ties to Atlanta and Miami.
The DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office Fugitive Unit and uniform patrol units are actively searching for inmates who were discovered missing during a routine security check at the Decatur jail on the morning of Dec. 22, according to a statement from the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office.
Internal security teams initiated a search and are working closely with other local law enforcement agencies to locate and apprehend the individuals, the statement said. The fugitives are considered armed and dangerous.
“We take this breach very seriously and are working diligently to ensure these individuals are safely returned to custody as quickly as possible,” DeKalb County Sheriff Melody M. Maddox said in a statement.
The fugitives face multiple charges and are considered armed and dangerous. Stevenson Charles, 24, is charged with murder and armed robbery; Yusuf Minor, 31, is charged with two counts of armed robbery and two counts of possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony; and Naod Yohannes, 25, is charged with simple assault, arson and unlawful acts of violence in a penal institution.
The United States Marshals Service also put out a BOLO after the security breach for the three inmates.
In a statement, Thomas E. Brown, U.S. Marshal for the Northern District of Georgia, noted the heightened concern about Charles, who is a convicted felon, being on the run. He is serving a life sentence, with convictions and charges including aggravated assault, weapons violations, sodomy on a person less than ten years old, kidnapping, carjacking, and probation violations.
Charles has close ties to the Atlanta and Miami area.
“Let the message go out to Mr. Charles and all other fugitives. We are looking for and we will find you,” Brown said in a statement. “Any person who violates the laws of the United States will not be allowed a moment of rest. You will never find peace. You will answer for your crimes.”
The public is urged to exercise extreme caution and should not approach them. Anyone with information regarding their whereabouts is asked to contact the Sheriff’s Office Fugitive Tip Line at (404) 298-8200.