LITTLE ROCK, AR — New details came to light on Tuesday about how a convicted child rapist was mistakenly released from the Pulaski County Jail.
US Marshals and a team of local officers are continuing the search for 50-year-old Tony Edward Perry, but he remains on the loose.
When Perry was booked into jail June 30 on accusations he had raped a 14-year-old girl, he was already a registered sex offender on parole for a theft charge in 2010.
As a result, a hold should have been placed on Perry, blocking his release.
But a Department of Community Correction spokeswoman said Tuesday that Perry’s parole officer was on leave at the time of his arrest. The hold on Perry was never placed, and he was released last Wednesday.
DCC has been scrambling to find him ever since.
The agency said Tuesday that it is working to change procedures to make sure parolee’s arrest notifications are not missed.
“We’re working actively all day long and on the weekends,” said DCC Deputy Director Dan Roberts.
In response to the new revelations about the Perry case, State Senator David Sanders issued the below statement.
“It is unacceptable that no one took action to make sure Tony Perry, a convicted child rapist, had his parole revoked when he was charged with raping another child over a month ago.
Situations like Perry’s is why the Legislature passed Act 1029, which mandates in law that a parolee charged with a sexual or violent felony is held behind bars until a parole revocation hearing.”
Act 1029 goes into affect Thursday.
US Marshals and a team of local officers are continuing the search for 50-year-old Tony Edward Perry, but he remains on the loose.
When Perry was booked into jail June 30 on accusations he had raped a 14-year-old girl, he was already a registered sex offender on parole for a theft charge in 2010.
As a result, a hold should have been placed on Perry, blocking his release.
But a Department of Community Correction spokeswoman said Tuesday that Perry’s parole officer was on leave at the time of his arrest. The hold on Perry was never placed, and he was released last Wednesday.
DCC has been scrambling to find him ever since.
The agency said Tuesday that it is working to change procedures to make sure parolee’s arrest notifications are not missed.
“We’re working actively all day long and on the weekends,” said DCC Deputy Director Dan Roberts.
In response to the new revelations about the Perry case, State Senator David Sanders issued the below statement.
“It is unacceptable that no one took action to make sure Tony Perry, a convicted child rapist, had his parole revoked when he was charged with raping another child over a month ago.
Situations like Perry’s is why the Legislature passed Act 1029, which mandates in law that a parolee charged with a sexual or violent felony is held behind bars until a parole revocation hearing.”
Act 1029 goes into affect Thursday.