Indiana inmate mistakenly put on work detail escapes for 2nd time, later captured at Motel 6

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An escaped inmate in Indiana has been recaptured at a Motel 6 after he was mistakenly put on a work detail despite a previous escape, authorities said Monday.

Charles Gerstorff, 30, was assigned to work at the City of Marion Animal Care and Control building next to the 4H Fairgrounds on State Road 18 West when he walked off the site around 7:50 a.m., the Grant County Sheriff’s Office said.

The deputy who was supervising the crew “was distracted and performing another task” when Gerstorff fled, according to authorities. Multiple deputies responded to help find the escapee, but the search was discontinued after a few hours.

Later Monday, deputies located Gerstorff at a Motel 6 off Shadeland Avenue in Indianapolis – more than an hour’s drive from the Marion Animal Care and Control building – and took the escapee into custody.

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Charles Gerstorff, 30, was taken into custody at a Motel 6 in Indianapolis on Monday hours after he walked off a work detail, authorities said. It was his second escape from custody. (Grant County Sheriffs Office)

During the search for Gerstorff, the sheriff’s office told the public that the inmate was not supposed to be on any work detail because of a previous escape attempt.

“Upon reviewing the incident, the inmate should have never been on a work crew due to a previous charge of escape during his time on the electronic monitoring program with home detention,” officials said.

Charles Gerstorff was put on the work-crew detail due to an “oversight,” officials said. An investigation into how the mistake was made is ongoing. (Grant County Sheriff’s Office)

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The sheriff’s office said that an “oversight” led Gerstorff to be placed on the work crew.

“We are currently looking at how this oversight occurred and taking extensive measures to minimize the possibility of this occurring again,” officials said.

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Gerstorff’s previous charges include resisting law enforcement, possession of meth and possession of paraphernalia, according to online jail records.