By DON FLETCHER
News Staff Writer
Alabama Department of Corrections (ADOC) officials confirmed late last week that reports of 31-year-old Fountain Correctional Facility inmate Corey Daniel Gable’s escape from the facility were issued after Fountain officials discovered a clerical error that caused them to release the wrong inmate.
“On May 31, 2022, Corey Daniel Gable, a 31-year-old inmate serving a 20-year-sentence for (first-degree) assault out of Mobile County at Fountain Correctional Facility in Atmore …was released due to a clerical error,” said Kelly Betts, ADOC’s Public Information Manager, in response to a request from Atmore News for details of the incident. “The ‘be on the lookout’ (BOLO) report was issued out of an abundance of caution. Gable was returned to Fountain shortly after he was mistakenly released.”
A statewide alert, sent to law enforcement agencies and media outlets, said only that Gable “left from (his) assigned location” at approximately 10:30 a.m. Anyone spotting Gable, who “is currently on escape,” or having information that could help locate the “escapee” was urged to call authorities and share the information.
Atmore Police Chief Chuck Brooks said the incident was unfortunate but noted that Gable was back in custody shortly after he was reported missing.
“That BOLO goes out to all officers via, text, email or telephone,” Brooks said, admitting that such reports could cause officers to more aggressively approach anyone fitting the escapee’s description.
“It could create a tense situation, but things like this happen. It’s very unfortunate, but they did have him back in custody pretty quickly.”
A source within ADOC reported that FCF staff gave Gable his release papers, as well as a set of “going home clothes,” and allowed him to call his family in Prichard to come pick him up.
A team of U.S. Marshals went to Gable’s family residence around 1:25 p.m. and took him back into custody without incident.
One of Gable’s family members was contacted for comment on the incident but declined.
The first clue that something was amiss came in the escape report, where ADOC officials said Gable was “last seen wearing a burgundy polo shirt and blue khaki pants,” clothing that is not standard prison garb.
The ADOC spokeswoman said agency investigators are looking into the particulars of how the error happened and will take whatever action, if any, deemed necessary to lessen the chance of the same thing taking place again.
“The Law Enforcement Services Division (LESD) is investigating how the error occurred, and appropriate action will be taken if warranted,” Betts said.