One of the inmates who escaped from the DeKalb County Jail called someone late Sunday to meet them before they broke free through a “compromised” area of the facility, officials said Tuesday.
The DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office announced overnight that Stevenson Charles, Yusuf Minor and Naod Yohannes were captured. The U.S. Marshals Service said they were taken back into custody in Broward County, Florida.
A spokesman for the U.S. Marshals said Charles had contacted someone who took them to the house of a girlfriend of Minor’s. They then called for a Lyft, which took them to Florida.
The Marshals were able to track them in the Lyft, and they were taken into custody without incident, he said. The driver is being interviewed, and the escapees may face other charges.
Get the latest updates on the investigation, LIVE on Channel 2 Action News starting at 4:00 p.m.
DeKalb County officials declined to give specifics on how the jail had been compromised to allow them to escape. They said officers would be doing more rounds in the jail until upgrades can be made.
DeKalb officials responded to questions on the hours-long delay to notify the public about the inmates, including a convicted killer and another man charged with murder.
Channel 2 Action News made several inquiries to officials Monday before they confirmed the information and provided details on who they were.
Chief Deputy Temetris Atkins said the delay was due in part to confirming the inmates had gotten out of the facility.
“We’re not going to put any information out there unless it’s valid and it has been verified, to make sure the citizens of DeKalb County are getting valid information that they’re supposed to have,” Sheriff Melody Maddox said.
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All three men had violent criminal histories and were described as “dangerous” after their escape.
Charles, 24, is accused of murdering Carl Steinke in 2022.
In 2024, Charles pleaded guilty to false imprisonment, aggravated sodomy, kidnapping and more after he was accused of holding a Lawrenceville couple he met on a dating app against their will, robbing them and sexually assaulting one of them. He is currently serving a life sentence for this crime.
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Minor, 31, is a convicted murderer. He was convicted last year of the 2022 murder of Ja’Leesa May-Carter, 33.
Investigators say May-Carter was behind him in line at a gas station. They say Minor followed her home and killed her because she allegedly took a $100 bill he left behind. He is serving a life sentence for this crime.
He is currently facing armed robbery and gun charges.
His attorney, Gerald Griggs, shared a statement with Channel 2 Action News, encouraging Minor to turn himself in, maintain his innocence and fight his battle in court.
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Yohannes, 25, is charged with arson, simple assault and unlawful acts of violence in a penal institution.
According to his indictment, Yohannes is accused of setting a fire at the Highland Village Apartments on E. Ponce de Leon Ave. off Interstate 285 in July 2024.
