News and Headlines

Actions

Felon mistakenly released from jail surrenders

Posted

INDIANAPOLIS -- A felon who was mistakenly released from the Marion County Jail surrendered to deputies on Thursday.

Levi Garrett, 32, was supposed to begin serving a 20-year sentence for dealing methamphetamine, auto theft and resisting law enforcement on Monday.

Court records show Garrett was arrested in May 2015 on more than a dozen charges related to dealing meth.

He bonded out in June, and was arrested again in August on additional charges of being a felon carrying a handgun, auto theft and resisting law enforcement.

On Monday, instead of being transferred to the Indiana Department of Corrections – where he was ordered to serve 12 years of his 20-year sentence – Garrett was released.

"There were glitches in the IT system that caused a breakdown in communications. It's under investigation. We're going to look into that and try to figure out what happened," Colonel Louis Dezelan with the Marion County Sheriff's Office said. 

A warrant for Garrett's arrest was issued Tuesday.

"He lived on the south side of Indianapolis. He has contacts in Morgan County. We fear he might be in the company of his five-year-old daughter. Our warrant teams are on the street and we're very confident they're going to reel him in quickly," Dezelan said. 

The Marion County Sheriff's Office says Garrett surrendered to deputies in downtown Indianapolis around 10 p.m. Thursday night.

"The investigation into Garrett's release is ongoing, but we are committed to continue work with our partners in criminal justice to address the information technology issues that face us," said Sheriff John Layton.

PREVIOUS | Marion County Jail inmate caught after using another inmate's identity to escape | Man vying for Marion County sheriff's seat accuses jail of mistakenly releasing inmates | Two more Marion Co. inmates mistakenly released

-----

Download the new and improved RTV6 app to get the latest news on the go and receive alerts to your phone

Sign up to have the latest news headlines delivered straight to your email inbox