Escaped Crockett Co. inmate captured in Jackson

JACKSON, Tenn. — An escaped prisoner from Crockett County is back in police custody after missing for more than 24 hours.

Jeffery O’Neal Patterson

The search for escaped inmate Jeffrey Patterson, 29, is over Wednesday, thanks to a tip called in to Jackson Crime Stoppers. U.S. Marshals and Jackson police found Patterson hiding at his girlfriend’s house in east Jackson. Marshals say the couple refused to come out so officers had to force their way inside.

U.S. Marshals say after entering the home on Washington Douglas Circle, Patterson and his girlfriend, 28-year-old Tazara Alexander, were arrested and transported to the Crockett County Jail.

According to Crockett County Sheriff Troy Klyce, Patterson was a trustee inside to jail but didn’t have clearance to work outside when he escaped Monday night.

“Around 8:15, around that area, he mingled in with the trash crew and just walked off, basically,” Klyce said.

The sheriff says he is going to be more involved in the selection process of inmates becoming trustees so investigators and jail administrators are on the same page moving forward. Patterson was behind bars for aggravated burglary and his previous escape. He was just four months away from a parole hearing.

Tazara Alexander

“I think it was pretty stupid to walk off when you’re so close,” Klyce said.

Alexander faces a facilitation of escape charge after picking the inmate up in Bells and bringing him to Jackson. Felony escape will be added to Patterson’s current charges.

Sheriff Klyce says jailers knew Patterson was missing after about 15 minutes and that he was confident Patterson would be captured.

“Relieved that nothing happened, nobody got hurt or anything like that,” Sheriff Klyce said. “That’s the main relief.”

The sheriff says Patterson didn’t give a reason why he escaped from jail. He is currently serving seven years, but his new escape charge will be considered when he has his parole hearing in four months.