Inmate serving drug sentence escapes Corrections Department work-release camp in Sharpes
A Florida Department of Corrections inmate serving a methamphetamine-related sentence escaped from a work-release camp Friday night in Sharpes — and he remained at large Sunday afternoon.
Nathan Barker, 22, was being held at the Cocoa Bridge Community Release Center on Camp Road. Located just east of the Brevard County Jail Complex, this facility is an 84-bed residential substance-abuse treatment program.
Barker escaped just after 6:20 p.m. Friday, corrections officials reported. He left the Camp Road area in an unknown direction and may be headed to Volusia County, Brevard County Sheriff Wayne Ivey said in a Saturday afternoon Facebook post.
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In mid-July, Barker received a 2½-year prison sentence in Volusia County for possession of methamphetamine, fleeing and eluding law enforcement, possession of concealed handcuff key, and sale, manufacture or delivery of methamphetamine, Corrections records show.
Ivey said Barker was last seen wearing fluorescent green clothing, and he had an ankle monitor — but investigators believe he removed the GPS tracker. Messages seeking updates were left Sunday with the DOC press office and Tod Goodyear, spokesperson for the Brevard County Sheriff's Office.
Authorities ask anyone with information on Barker's whereabouts to call Agent Wynn at 321-264-5100 or Central Florida Crimeline, which accepts anonymous tips, at 800-423-TIPS.
Rick Neale is the South Brevard Watchdog Reporter at FLORIDA TODAY (for more of his stories, click here.) Contact Neale at 321-242-3638 or rneale@floridatoday.com. Twitter: @RickNeale1
This article originally appeared on Florida Today: Florida DOC inmate escapes from Cocoa Bridge work release camp in Sharpes
