Prisoner who ran is caught

Omaha police caught Kentrell Amerson after the 21-year-old cut off his tracking bracelet while out on a court-ordered release to attend his brother's funeral.

The fugitive task force located Amerson at 11:15 p.m. Friday at a home near 27th and Fort Streets. Officers took him into custody without incident and he was booked for two escape warrants.

Amerson was being held at the Douglas County Correctional Center, awaiting sentencing, after he pleaded no contest to stealing a Dodge Durango.

Amerson went before Douglas County District Judge Gerald Moran on Thursday to ask that he be released from jail to attend the funeral of his brother, 23-year-old Jonas Amerson.

Jonas Amerson was killed March 7. He and Qjuan Moore, 24, were in a car that crashed into a yard near 42nd and Browne Streets after both men had been shot.

Moore also died.

Jonas Amerson's funeral was scheduled for 10 a.m. Friday at New Hope Apostolic Temple, 6124 N. 99th St. Moran's order allowed Kentrell Amerson to be released from jail on Friday from 8 a.m. until no later than 2 p.m. “to pay his last respects to his brother during the funeral.”

Authorities discovered that Kentrell Amerson had cut off his GPS-equipped ankle bracelet at 1:50 p.m. He had been allowed to attend the funeral without a security escort.

Douglas County Attorney Don Kleine said Friday that he had objected to the judge's decision after consulting with Omaha Police Chief Alex Hayes. Kleine said that the judge listened to his objections, but he told Kleine that Kentrell Amerson had committed a property crime, and allowed Amerson's release.

Moran was unavailable for comment, his bailiff said Friday afternoon.

Mark Foxall, deputy director of corrections for Douglas County, said it's “very infrequent” that an inmate who is released will cut off an ankle bracelet, which he said is made of a hard rubber onto which a GPS device is affixed. Judges also are able to require a security escort when an inmate is furloughed, he said, but an escort was not ordered in this case.

Kentrell Amerson has served two previous stints in prison: One month in 2008 and one year from June 2007 to June 2008, both for carrying a concealed weapon.

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