By Mark Collette
Corpus Christi Caller-Times
NUECES COUNTY, Texas — A Nueces County Jail inmate was released by mistake Tuesday but recaptured about an hour after he posed as another inmate who was scheduled for release, authorities said.
Armando Conde, 28, was released from jail about 2:30 p.m. after using the name and birth date of another inmate, said Assistant Chief Sheriff’s Deputy Mike McKenzie.
The release happened while jail computer systems were down for a period of minutes, he said. Although the computers couldn’t be used to verify Conde’s identity, a hard copy of the inmate’s photo should have been available, but wasn’t, McKenzie said.
Officials still are investigating why the photo wasn’t there and whether the inmate who was scheduled for release aided Conde, McKenzie said.
Jail officers noticed the mistake almost immediately, and Conde was arrested at his home in Corpus Christi. He was out of jail for about an hour, McKenzie said.
Conde arrived in jail at about 9 a.m. Tuesday after being accused of injury to a child. His bail had not been set by Tuesday night. No charges had been filed in connection with his escape from jail, officials said.
The sheriff’s department had seven mistaken releases in the first four months of 2006, according to Caller-Times archives. There have been at least two other mistaken releases since 2001, jail officials said.
Sheriff Jim Kaelin could not be reached for comment late Tuesday.
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