Jail Inmate Accidentally Released, Spends Week Free, Turns Self Back In: SMC Sheriff's Office

SAN MATEO COUNTY, CA — After an eight-day vacation from jail, an inmate who was accidentally set free from custody is back behind bars, the San Mateo County sheriff's office reports. Rodney Jefferson, 27, of San Francisco, was released in error on Oct. 9 and returned to jail on Tuesday.

Jefferson, who was being held on federal charges for an auto burglary, was about to be transferred to the San Mateo County Jail when he was "was released in error at our direction from an Alameda County facility in Oakland," the San Mateo County Sheriff's Office said in a news release.

It was apparently related to a technical error and a miscommunication on the part of records staff in San Mateo County, officials said.

"At 2:00 p.m. [Tuesday] suspect Jefferson turned himself in to the custody of the United States Marshals Service in Oakland," the sheriff's office said. "Our CSU members then took him into custody and returned him back to the Maguire Correctional Facility [in Redwood City] without further incident."

Following the man's release, sheriff's officials said there was no threat to the public, but a warrant was issued for his arrest. The Marshals Service helped local authorities in the search for Jefferson as well.

San Mateo County sheriff's officials said they have added additional steps in their procedures to prevent this situation from happening again, but did not elaborate on those steps.

Image via San Mateo County Sheriff's Office