A Nebraska Douglas County Corrections Center employee has been placed on administrative leave after an inmate's escape last week.
Raymond Thomas is now being held on $10 million bond for escape and robbery charges. An additional $10 million bond was set for robbery and operating a motor vehicle to avoid arrest.
Thomas, 20, was re-arrested last week. He had threatened two officers last week with what turned out to be a fake gun fashioned out of soap and pen ink. Thomas was being transported back to the jail from the Nebraska Medical Center when he threatened the officers, then took their county car, the investigation showed.
Douglas County Corrections Director Robert Patton said the question is whether the officer properly searched and restrained Thomas before transporting him from the med center back to the jail. Patton said a proper search would have found the soap gun that Thomas used in the escape.
"Unfortunately, the review has determined that the actions of one of the staff members prior to the transport to the facility contributed to the escape of the individual," Patton said.
In addition to the improper search, the officer also used improper restraint techniques, which allowed Thomas to free his hands and hold the soap gun to one officer's head, Patton said.
"If sound correctional practice was followed that evening, I believe this escape could have been prevented," Patton said.
That staff member has now been placed on administrative leave with pay. Patton is not identifying the officer. An administrative panel will recommend appropriate disciplinary action, which could range from suspension to firing.
Patton said the escape is prompting procedural changes at the jail. Two officers will now be required for transporting inmates. Inmates will also have to go through strip searches each time they are transferred to or from the DCCC, and vehicle inspections before transporting prisoners.