Police capture prisoner who was wrongly released from Oakland County Jail

Johnny Rodgers II was accidentally released at 6 p.m. Wednesday

OAKLAND COUNTY, Mich. – An Oakland County prisoner who was wrongly released Wednesday has been captured, the Oakland County Sheriff's Office said Thursday evening.

Johnny Rodgers II, 25, was captured on Detroit's west side near Hubbell Avenue and Outer Drive. Detroit police Chief James Craig said he was taken into custody without incident.

Craig said the Michigan Department of Corrections discovered information about Rodgers' whereabouts and Detroit police from the 8th Precinct pulled over the car he was in. 

The MDOC said Rodgers was captured at 4:58 p.m. and has been taken back to prison under MDOC supervision.

Rodgers was released in error at about 6 p.m. Wednesday. He was serving a seven to 15 year sentence for committing assault with intent to murder, robbery and felony firearms violations out of Wayne County in 2014.

Rodgers was in the custody of Oakland County while on a writ for a court appearance. He should have been returned to the custody of the Michigan Department of Corrections but instead was released from jail.

"He shouldn’t have been released," Oakland County Undersheriff Michael McCabe said. "The file says ‘MDOC retainer’ right on it."

The Michigan Department of Corrections, Michigan State Police and the U.S. Marshals Service worked in the search for Rodgers. A $1,000 reward was being offered for information leading to his capture.

Rodgers' mother called authorities and alerted them of the release after he showed up at her house near 7 Mile Road and Livernois Avenue.

The earliest Rodgers could have been released from jail was 2024.

"For whatever reason, we have a process in place. Two deputies in the booking area always review the file before anybody is released," McCabe said. "We don’t know what the breakdown is. There is an internal investigation ongoing as to what occurred."

Stay with Local 4 and ClickonDetroit.com for updates to this developing story.

 

 


About the Author:

Derick is the Lead Digital Editor for ClickOnDetroit and has been with Local 4 News since April 2013. Derick specializes in breaking news, crime and local sports.