Berrien County officials say an inmate waiting to be sentenced for sexually assaulting a child was mistakenly released due to a paperwork problem. Undersheriff Charles Heit tells the Herald-Palladium of St. Joseph the 30-year-old inmate from Stevensville was released from jail on July 23rd. The man was back in custody after a search Monday. The man pleaded guilty July 17th to second-degree criminal sexual assault. He was ordered held without bond pending sentencing on Aug. 11th. Bailey says the release occurred because of a misunderstanding over two files with different case numbers for the man. He was free for five days. Sheriff Paul Bailey says the victim's family called Sunday to report that he was out of jail. The Associated Press isn't naming the man to avoid identifying the child.
