A New Orleans inmate who was mistakenly released last month from thesame jail where 10 prisoners broke out earlier this yearhas been recaptured in Texas, authorities announced on Aug. 20. Khalil Bryan, 30, wasreleased from the Orleans Justice Centeron July 25 due to "human error," according to Orleans Parish Sheriff Susan Hutson. The release stemmed from a case of mistaken identity after authorities confused Bryan with another inmate with the same last name, the sheriff's office said ina statement on July 31. Following a nearly monthlong search, Bryan was found more than 370 miles away at a residence in Cypress, a suburb of Houston, on the morning of Aug. 20, according to theHarris County Precinct 5 Constable's Office. He was arrested in a joint operation between the constable's office and the U.S. Marshals Gulf Coast Violent Offenders Task Force. When authorities arrived at the residence, the constable's office said in a statement that Bryan had unsuccessfully attempted to flee out of a window. He was then treated for minor injuries and booked into the Harris County Jail. Two other people at the home were also arrested on unrelated warrants, the constable's office added. Authorities were able to locate Bryan afterCrimestoppers of Greater New Orleanssaid it received an anonymous tip on where he was residing in Texas, which was then sent to the U.S. Marshals Gulf Coast Violent Offenders Task Force. Crimestoppers had been offering a $2,500 reward for information leading to his arrest. Before his release, Bryan was being held on charges including possession of stolen property, possession of drug paraphernalia, and resisting an officer, New Orleans Police Department Superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick said at a news conference on July 25. He also had an active warrant for aggravated assault with a firearm, domestic abuse, child endangerment, and home invasion. Bryan will be transported back to New Orleans to face pending charges, according to the sheriff's office. "We are grateful to the community member who stepped forward through Crimestoppers to provide the information that ultimately led to Mr. Bryan's arrest," Hutson said in a statement after the arrest. "While this erroneous release happened due to human failure, we have held those responsible accountable, and we have taken responsibility and put safeguards in place. Today, we can say that Khalil Bryan is back in custody where he belongs." New Orleans jail escape:Maps and videos show how it happened Bryan had been released from a housing unit at 1:17 a.m. local time on July 25, and authorities later discovered the error at 11:10 a.m., the sheriff's office said. The public was then notified of Bryan's release at 3:45 p.m., and the inmate who shared the same last name was properly released at 10:45 p.m. The mistaken release was a result of a "breakdown" in identity verification procedures during the jail's overnight release process, according to the sheriff's office. The agency noted that the incident was not a system failure but a "human error compounded by inadequate protocol adherence." Since it was not a security breach or an escape, and Bryan was not considered an immediate threat to the public, the sheriff's office said public notification was held off so that authorities could begin apprehension efforts "to avoid startling Mr. Bryan and jeopardizing the search." The sheriff's office added that Bryan was primarily in custody for non-violent charges and had already bonded out on his previous violent offenses. The sheriff's office subsequently launched an investigation and review of protocols, which led to the firings of two deputies and suspensions of five other staff members. The agency said it now requires a supervisor to verify and approve all releases, and all staff will undergo additional training in the release process. The sheriff's office said it is also revising inmate release protocols and conducting a personnel audit. 'How did they let this happen?':A jailbreak, a massive manhunt and a push to fix New Orleans' broken lockup The error comes as the jail and the Orleans Parish Sheriff's Office are still reeling from theescape of 10 inmatesin the early morning hours of May 16, when authorities say the inmates breached a cell wall and used a blind spot to flee undetected. One of the inmates, convicted killerDerrick Groves, remains at large. Groves was convicted of two charges of second-degree murder and two charges of attempted second-degree murder in October in connection with a shooting during Mardi Gras in 2018. Groves also has been awaiting sentencing on a manslaughter charge since October. Three men were recaptured by the end of the same day, and five more werecaught weeks afterthe escape. The most recent inmate wascaptured in late June— nearly six weeks after the high-profile escape. The nine inmates who have been recaptured allpleaded not guiltyto charges related to the escape on July 23, the Louisiana Attorney General's Office said. Andat least 16 other peoplehave been arrested and accused of helping the inmates break out or stay on the run, including family members and at least one jail employee. The jailbreak was one of the largest and most brazen in recent U.S. history, prompting a massive manhunt that spanned multiple states and sparkedimmediate scrutinyover theprison's security vulnerabilities. Contributing: Jeanine Santucci, USA TODAY This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:New Orleans inmate mistakenly released from jail recaptured in Texas
