Erin Todd Kimble, 42, escaped from Hillsdale County Jail last week with the help of his girlfriend, Kelly Barnett, 39, who harbored Kimble in her home.
On Jan. 24, the Hillsdale County Sheriff’s Department arrested both Kimble and Barnett, extending Kimble’s sentence and possibly landing his girlfriend in a cell of her own.
“[Kimble] was allowed out on work leave, which is pretty common for low-level criminals,” Sheriff Stanley Burchardt told the Collegian. “The officers assigned found him hiding out at his girlfriend’s house, made the arrest, and now he’s back for more prison time.”
Burchardt is not sure how long the prison sentence for Kimble and Barnett will be, but he is confident they will both see jail time and Burchardt thinks Kimble will “have no more work leave.”
Work leave is granted to Hillsdale County Jail inmates whose minor crimes — such as a drunk driving or traffic violations — would otherwise hinder their ability to work. Since they are only incarcerated for a small amount of time, the sheriff’s department tries to help them keep their jobs until their release.
“We try to give them a chance to avoid a minor sentence messing up the rest of their lives,” Burchardt said.
Both Barnett and Kimble are awaiting trial.
