Texas Police 'Mistakenly Released' Man Who Was About to Begin a 5-Year Prison Sentence By Charmaine Patterson

Police in Texas are pleading with the public to help them find an inmate who was “mistakenly released.”

On Sunday, Aug. 17, at 4:30 a.m. local time, Troy Dugas, 36, was “mistakenly released from jail,” the Harris County Sheriff’s Office said in a Facebook release on Monday, Aug. 18.

“Dugas was due to begin serving a 5-year state prison sentence for assaulting a family member in Fort Bend County and a 2-year sentence for evading arrest in Brazoria County,” the HCSO continued.

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He’s described as a 6’1″ Black male who weighs 215 pounds.

PEOPLE reached out to the HCSO for comment.

Dugas had been in police custody since Thursday, Aug. 14, for other charges that had been dropped, the HCSO said in a separate release. Jail staff allegedly failed to document his upcoming state prison sentence properly and believed he was eligible for release after the other charges were dismissed.

“A thorough investigation will be conducted to determine the circumstances that led to Dugas’ erroneous release from jail,” the HCSO continued.

The sheriff’s office urged anyone who sees Dugas to call 911.