By Todd Ruger
Sarasota Herald Tribune
SARASOTA COUNTY, Fla. — The sheriff’s office said it mistakenly released two jail inmates Wednesday afternoon, then re-arrested them about an hour later.
Officials are still investigating why the inmates were released, and a spokeswoman said there would be more details on the mistake today.
Similar erroneous inmate releases have been an issue at the jail since 2006, and led to the resignation of the commander of the Sarasota County jail earlier this year.
On Wednesday, the jail staff released Michael Adkins, 55, who was jailed on a violation of probation charge, and Steven Katzenberger, 22, in the jail on a misdemeanor warrant from Pinellas County.
Similar mistakes were documented in the Herald-Tribune in prior years. As they continued to be made, then-Sheriff Bill Balkwill ordered a committee to make recommendations to stop erroneous inmate releases in April 2008.
The staff inspection found booking problems that led to 17 inmates being released too early or held too long in jail during 2008.
The report recommended in August 2008 that the jail start a formal training program, increase staffing levels and write a manual for the booking division.
The former jail commander, Maj. Darrell Stinger, resigned in January during an internal investigation that ultimately found he ignored those recommendations.
The number of early or late releases in Sarasota is dramatically higher than in other jails across the region.
For instance, Manatee County - a facility of about the same size - had only one erroneous release in 2008.
Lee County, twice the size of Sarasota, documented seven instances in which jail inmates were released at the incorrect time.
In Sarasota County, one man was released 60 days early in September.
A woman was sent home in October even though she was supposed to be taken to Manatee County to face other charges.
And in November, another prisoner was able to leave the jail without posting $5,000 bail.
Copyright 2009 Sarasota Herald-Tribune Co.