Officials with Rowan County Facilities Maintenance and Sheriff Kevin Auten, along with other sheriff’s staff, met this morning to discuss security concerns at the Rowan County Magistrate’s Office following the escape Wednesday of a prisoner.
Rowan County Sheriff’s Office staff are reviewing the events that occurred leading up to prisoner Jameel Stephens-Maddox’s escape from the magistrate’s office. It has been determined that Stephens-Maddox was secured to a metal bar by handcuffs behind his back in the magistrate’s office holding area. Stephens-Maddox was able to manipulate his hands out of the metal cuffs and left the holding area.
Auten presented several security concerns that he asked to be addressed immediately. County Facilities Maintenance staff are working to address these concerns as soon as possible. Staff with maintenance are getting pricing from contractors who specialize in providing fencing and other security features at detention and prisoner holding facilities.
The incident and actions of the deputies involved continue to be reviewed by Sheriff’s Office staff. The Sheriff’s Office would like to offer a reward of $1,000 to be paid for information about the location of Stephens-Maddox that leads to his capture. Anyone with information can call the Rowan County Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigative 1st Lt. Chad Moose at 704-216-8687 or 911.
Stephens-Maddox will also be added to the Rowan County Sheriff’s Office Top 10 Most Wanted List