After manhunt, authorities nab convicted felon released from OCCC

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) - After an hours-long manhunt Tuesday, authorities captured a convicted felon who was allowed to walk out of OCCC ― despite a warrant for robbery.

Honolulu Police and deputies with the U.S. Marshals Service launched a manhunt for 26-year-old Russell R. Webb and re-arrested him in the Punchbowl area, six hours after his release.

He was allowed to leave the Oahu Community Correctional Center even though he is wanted in California for a 2015 warrant stemming from an armed robbery.

But the Public Safety Department contends it was not an accidental release, saying no one told them that Webb had a warrant.

“We cannot hold them past their court ordered release date without proper documentation,” the agency said, in a statement.

“If a law enforcement agency wants them held past their scheduled release they must provide the facility with a detainer which allows the facility to hold them longer. No detainer was received at the facility from any law enforcement agency to hold him past his scheduled release time.”

It appears that no one checked the national database, before Webb was let go.

That’s drawing criticism of the department’s procedures.

“So many of these occur and there is no apology or talk about how they are going to improve. They are going to continue doing it the way they have been doing it and more releases will probably occur throughout the year and the public will be at risk," Sen. Clearance Nishihara said.

Webb was arrested for a misdemeanor theft on May 1, and was let go after serving five days behind bars.

Honolulu police realized the mistake Tuesday morning and dispatched officers to search for Webb.

Court records show Webb has also previously been arrested for kidnapping.

This story will be updated.

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