Lake Co. Sex Offender Who Walked Away from Work Release Program Back in Custody

LAKE COUNTY, IL - A 21-year-old sex offender is back in custody after he did not return from a work release program last week and also cut off his electronic ankle monitor, which he was required to wear, so authorities could not track him down, police said Saturday.

Cody C. Powell, an inmate at the Lake County Community Based Corrections Center, left the CBCC housing unit on Oct. 1 during an authorized released but did not return.

Powell was assigned to CBCC on Sept. 29 after being sentenced for a previous criminal sexual abuse arrest. After he walked away from his work release program, a no-bond arrest warrant for escape (class 3 felony) and criminal damage to government property (class 4 felony) was issued for Powell, according to a Lake County Sheriff’s Office press release.

A search for Powell by the the Lake County Sheriff’s Warrants Team followed and the warrants team learned Powell was possibly in the Round Lake Beach area, police said. The Lake County Sheriff’s Office collaborated with the Round Lake Beach Police Department and issued flyers to area businesses to keep an eye out for Powell.

On Friday, Powell was spotted entering a business in the 300 block of West Rollins Road in Round Lake Beach. Round Lake Beach Police and the Lake County Sheriff’s Office were notified and took Powell back into custody.

Powell remains in custody at the Lake County Jail.