Back Behind Bars — Accidentally Freed Inmate Locked Up Again

JOLIET, IL — An inmate accidentally released from the Will County jail Thursday morning was back behind bars Friday night.

Carlos Johnson, 40, was booked back into custody after about a day and a half of unexpected freedom.

Sheriff's deputies took Johnson into custody after searching for him Friday afternoon and evening. He was reportedly apprehended without incident.

The sheriff's department is still trying to determine how Johnson ended up walking out of the jail. Johnson’s attorney, Robert Lewin, explained that jail staff accidentally turned the Bolingbrook man loose because he had finished serving a contempt of court sentence and they thought he was allowed to go free.

“It’s pretty funny,” Lewin said. “Good for Will County.”

But it remains unclear how staff at the county jail could have figured Johnson was free to go Thursday morning as he was found in contempt of court nearly a month earlier and was sentenced to only two days in jail.

Johnson was already locked up when Judge David Carlson found him in contempt on Nov. 9. Johnson had been in custody for almost five months when he was let go Thursday, apparently unable to post a $75,000 bond.

Johnson was — and is back — in jail on forgery charges.

photo via Will County Sheriff's Department