SUMMIT COUNTY, Ohio (WOIO) – New developments regarding the wrongful release of a Summit County inmate last summer.

19 Investigation series reports He prompted state authorities to investigate this incident, and their investigation was completed.

On June 6, 70-year-old Freddie Lardell was scheduled to be released from the Summit County Jail, records show.

But records show deputies mistakenly released 56-year-old Lydell Gladney.

The Summit County Sheriff’s Office said Gladney was able to impersonate Lardell and get out of jail.

A 19 News investigation found that SCSO failed to report numerous inmate escapes or wrongful releases this year.

This year we found that four inmates either escaped or were accidentally released from prison.

By state law, SCSO is required to alert local law enforcement when such a situation occurs; but the Ohio State Highway Patrol says they were never notified.

Our reports subsequently led the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction to investigate Gladney’s wrongful release.

They say SCSO should have reported the incident to them, but they did not.

While investigating Gladney’s release, the ODRC found that SCSO violated two of the state’s minimum standards for jail operations.

First, a deputy released Gladney from his residence without checking his photo ID or release papers.

Another deputy then handed over Gladney Lardell’s money and personal belongings without verifying who she was.

According to SCSO’s internal investigation, they reviewed surveillance footage that showed Gladney “attempted to show his identification to a deputy… but the deputy was visible on camera… the inmate never checked Gladney’s ankle bracelet.”

Eight days after being released from prison, Gladney was arrested and charged with escape, theft and identity fraud.

Two MPs who accidentally released Gladney were reprimanded.

We asked the ODRC if SCSO violated any laws by not reporting Gladney’s escape, but they did not respond.

SCSO was required to submit an action plan to the ODRC detailing what actions they would take to prevent this from happening again.

In mid-October, Representative Bill Roemer introduced: House Bill 677, called the “Fugitive Convict Alert Program,” which requires all law enforcement agencies in Ohio to warn the public when a criminal is on the run.

Roemer says the program will work like an Amber Alert, and any agency that doesn’t issue them could face negative consequences.

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