By Sarah Roebuck
Corrections1
SALT LAKE CITY — The Utah Department of Corrections will be adding a new policy after an inmate was wrongfully released from jail in September, KSTU reports.
Joseph Armijo, 34, was released under a state contract on Sept. 26 from the Davis County Jail. He was being held on charges of aggravated assault, aggravated kidnapping and assault of a pregnant woman. Armijo was set to be released that day, but his parole had been canceled due to a disciplinary violation.
Armijo was released for 14 hours before the error was noticed. He was found at his mother’s home and re-booked into jail.
Following preliminary results of their investigation, the Utah DOC announced Wednesday that “procedural errors” were made by both the state and county.
To avoid similar instances from happening in the future, “UDC now requires written notification to jails if there is any change in the release status of any individual,” UDOC’s announcement stated.
Officials with Davis County said Armijo’s release was a unique situation.
“The typical process for release is that most inmates head back to the prison, where they will go through their release at that facility,” Stephanie Dinsmore, with the sheriff’s office, told KSTU. “A special exception was made to have this inmate released at our facility due to the proximity of his mom and her location to our facility in Davis.”