Ohio Authorities Arrest Final County Jail Escapee a Day After Jailbreak

Exterior of the Gallia County Sheriff's Office in Gallipolis, Ohio, in September 2015. Google Maps Street View/Screenshot

After a jailbreak and extensive manhunt, Ohio law enforcement officials took the fourth and final county jail escapee back into custody on Sept. 30.

Gallia County Sheriff’s Office confirmed escapee Lawrence Lee III, 29, has been arrested and transported to the Gallia County Jail in Gallipolis, 105 miles south of Columbus.

Sheriff Matt Champlin revealed that Lee, who is serving time for fraud, obstructing official business, and assault, traveled as far as 354 miles south to Durham, North Carolina, before he was finally apprehended.

“I am pleased to report that just a short while ago the fourth and final escapee, Lawrence R. Lee III was taken into custody by law enforcement officials in Durham, N.C.,” Champlin said on Facebook.

The interstate manhunt began on Sept. 29 at about 12:14 a.m. local time, when the four male escapees used a homemade weapon to overpower two female corrections officers at the county jail.

“The four inmates were successful in forcing open a secured door and escaped,” the sheriff’s office said on Facebook. “Deputies have established that the inmates had assistance in escaping from at least one individual on the outside.”

The sheriff’s office described Lee as being 5 feet and 9 inches tall, weighing about 187 pounds, with brown hair and brown eyes.

Lee’s three fellow inmates included Christopher Clemente, 24, Brynn Martin, 40, and Troy McDaniel Jr., 30.

“All of the inmates should be considered extremely dangerous,” the sheriff’s office said at the time.

Investigators earlier arrested Clemente, Martin, and McDaniel after the trio made it 371 miles south to Cary.

“At approximately 2:00 a.m. on Monday, Sept. 30, 2019, investigators were able to develop information which has led to the successful apprehension of three of the four males who escaped custody from the Gallia County Jail,” the sheriff’s office said on Facebook. “I am pleased to be able to report that Brynn K. Martin, Christopher M. Clemente and Troy R. McDaniel Jr. have been taken into custody in Cary, N.C. thanks to a multi-agency response to information provided by our investigative team.”

The sheriff’s office described Clemente as measuring 6 feet and 1 inch tall, weighing about 165 pounds, having brown hair and hazel eyes. Martin was said to be 5 feet and 7 inches tall, weighing about 170 pounds, having brown hair and blue eyes. McDaniel Jr. on the other hand was 5 feet and 11 inches tall, weighing about 157 pounds, having blonde hair and blue eyes.

Clemente was serving time for complicity to trafficking in drugs, Martin was doing time for breaking and entering, receiving stolen property, failing to appear twice and escape, while McDaniel junior failed to appear at Gallia County Juvenile Court for non-support of dependents.

Lee proved to be the most elusive and was not arrested at the same time that his fellow inmates were apprehended.

“We have learned that Lawrence R. Lee III is also believed to have accompanied the three males who have been apprehended and fled from the officers at the time of arrests,” Champlin said on Facebook.