By Pat Culverhouse

A Bayou Dorcheat Correctional Center inmate has extended his stay at the parish facility after walking away from his place of employment on a work release program.

Webster Parish Sheriff Jason Parker said 31-year-old William Blake Bailey was apprehended in Richland Parish one day after he left the business Friday where he was employed on the inmate work release program.

“When he was reported away from the business and did not return, our investigators went to work and determined he was in the Richland Parish area. We contacted Richland authorities and he was picked up,” Parker said. “He had only three weeks remaining on his sentence, but now he’s going to be with us a little longer without the privileges he once had.”

Parker said Bailey will be charged with simple escape; aggravated escape.

This information has been provided by a law enforcement agency as public information. Persons named as suspects in a criminal investigation, or arrested and charged with a crime, have not been convicted of any criminal offense and are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.