LYNN ADAMS
SPECIAL TO THE NEWS
A Vian man who reportedly walked away from an inmate halfway house in Ponca City was captured last Wednesday by Sequoyah County Sheriff ’s deputies.
Lester Hampton, 62, who is serving a 10-year sentence for second-degree burglary, was apprehended about 1 a.m. just north of Vian.
Hampton led authorities on a 10-day search across the state before being arrested about 175 miles from where the dragnet began.
According to the Oklahoma Department of Corrections, Hampton was last seen just before noon on Sept. 7 at the Ridgeway Halfway House in Ponca City. He was discovered missing about an hour later during an inmate count.
Sequoyah County Sheriff Larry Lane said a team of deputies spent most of last Tuesday searching for Hampton in the Blackgum area.
Using a drone equipped with thermal imaging technology, as well as help from vigilant neighbors, Hampton was found in a wooded area north of Vian near Blackgum Harvestime Church and McQuick’s.
According to Lane, an off-duty 911 dispatcher for Sequoyah County on her way home from work spotted Hampton and called authorities.
“I’m proud to have these guys on our team, most of them were off duty when I called, but they didn’t hesitate to get up and leave their families in the middle of the night, to help us capture this guy,” Lane said.
