Escaped Oklahoma inmate captured after a week on the run

SEQUOYAH COUNTY, Okla. (KNWA/KFTA) — A Department of Corrections inmate walked away from a halfway house last week. Multiple deputies were able to capture him in Sequoyah County after a weeks-long investigation, according to a Facebook post .

Lester Hampton was on the run after he left the Bridgeway Halfway House in Ponca City, Okla. on Saturday, Sept. 7. Deputies spent all day Tuesday searching for him, the post said.

The Sequoyah County Sheriff’s Office used a drone with thermal imaging capabilities over a wooded area. Hampton was later found after a 911 dispatcher saw a man matching his description and quickly notified deputies.

“Hampton then fled into another wooded area but was ran down by our speedy deputy, Colton Goff,” the post said.

Hampton is currently at the Sequoyah County Detention Center Sheriff and will be taken back to the Oklahoma DOC.

“I’m proud to have these guys on our team, most of them were off duty when I called, but they didn’t hesitate to get up and leave their families in the middle of the night, to help us capture this guy,” Lane said in the Facebook post.

Hampton was facing 10 years for second-degree burglary.

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