HINDS COUNTY, Miss. (WJTV) – Hinds County Sheriff Tyree Jones announced one of the two detainees, who escaped from the Hinds County Detention Center, has been captured.

The sheriff said Michael Lewis, 31, was captured Monday evening in the area of Seven Springs Road and Springridge Road in Hinds County. He faces additional escape charges.

Deputies are still searching for Joseph Spring, 31.

HINDS COUNTY, Miss. (WJTV) – Two detainees escaped from the Hinds County Detention Center on Monday, May 29.

Hinds County Sheriff Tyree Jones said Michael Lewis, 31, and Joseph Spring, 31, were both missing from the detention center during Monday morning’s official head count.

Jones said a deputy, who was patrolling the outer perimeter of the jail, noticed items belonging to the detainees and blood outside of the fence. A head count was taken, and the two detainees were missing.

An inspection of the jail found a breach in the ceiling of one of the recreation rooms. Jones said investigators believe the two detainees went into the ceiling and were able to get out of the building through an airduct. They later went over the jail’s fence in order to escape.

Both Lewis and Spring have ties to the Hinds County area. Deputies have checked the immediate area, but they have not located the escapees. The sheriff said there have been no reports of any stolen vehicles.

Jones said Lewis and Spring are both considered dangerous. They are believed to be on foot, and they were last seen in red jumpsuits.

Lewis had been in the facility since December 2022. Jones said he was being held on DUI, possession of marijuana, felony fleeing, convicted felon in possession of firearm, probation and parole violations, and holds with other agencies.

Spring had been in the facility since November 2022. Jones said he was being held on probation and parole violations, burglary and holds with other agencies.

This recent escape comes after four detainees escaped from the Hinds County Detention Center in April 2023. Two of those detainees were later captured, and the other two died during separate incidents.

Jones apologized to residents for this recent escape.

“I think that I have addressed some of the issues that we believe that are leading to some of this. What is going to happen, we are building a new facility, okay? But we are going to have to put more money into the Raymond Detention Center to be able to address some of these long-standing issues that we are still currently faced with,” he said.

The sheriff said the facility also needs more staff in order to address the issues at the facility.

He said the department has implemented new policies and procedures since the four detainees escaped in April.

Anyone with information on the whereabouts of Lewis and Spring can contact the Hinds County Sheriff’s Office at 601-352-1521.