Fenton Man Mistakenly Released From County Jail

Sheriff's deputies are looking for a Fenton man who was wrongly released from the Jefferson County jail Monday evening after portraying himself as another inmate.

Sheriff Oliver “Glenn” Boyer reports that investigators are actively searching for Stephen Brooks, 43, who stole the identity of another inmate and was resleased by mistake.

"He looks similar in stature and he misrepresented himself to the corrections officer," said Capt. Ron Arnhart of the sheriff's department.

Arnhart would not elaborate on the release as an investigation is ongoing. Additional charges are expected.

Arnhart said Brooks had violated his probabtion. He was being held in jail on a charges of domestic violence and felonious restraint, both felonies, as well as on a July 8 misdemeanor domestic assault incident.

The sheriff's department has investigated the purchase of an eye scanner in order to better establish the identity of jail inmates scheduled for release, Arnhart said. He said the scanner purchase  may move up on the sherifff's priority list. "It probably will," he said.

Arnhart said anyone with information about Brooks' whereabouts is asked to call the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office at 636-797-5515.