Robey Butler was successfully captured today, March 2 at 9:25 a.m. after walking away from the Jackie Brannon Correctional Center in McAlester on Feb. 18, 2026. The 12-day search for Butler started shortly after 9 p.m. when he was reported missing. JBCC facility staff, along with the Oklahoma State Penitentiary CERT team, searched the grounds and surrounding areas for Butler. The Office of Inspector General Fugitive Apprehension team arrived at JBCC shortly afterward to help coordinate the search.
Butler took a firearm and hijacked a vehicle about five miles north of OSP in Pittsburg County. He drove away with a passenger still inside. After reaching Keota, he abandoned the car and the kidnapping victim, then fled on foot and eventually discarded the gun. After receiving a tip from a local fisherman, the Haskell County Sheriff’s Office finally caught Butler about two and a half miles south of where the firearm was recovered.
After apprehension, Butler was transported to a higher security facility where he will continue serving his 6-year sentence for child neglect out of Sequoyah County while awaiting the filing of numerous new charges.
We want to thank the many law enforcement partners who assisted us in this search, including Haskell County Sheriff’s Office, Keota Police Department and the City of Keota, Oklahoma Department of Wildlife, Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics, Oklahoma Highway Patrol, Tulsa Police Department, Choctaw Emergency Management, United States Marshals Service, McAlester Police Department, and many others who stepped up and helped.
“Public safety requires teamwork, and I’m incredibly proud of our staff for diligently working to protect the public and for working together as one team. I’m also grateful to our partners who helped us search for and apprehend Butler without incident.” – ODOC Director Justin Farris.
“This event clearly shows the dedication and professionalism of law enforcement at all levels who were involved in the apprehension of the escaped inmate. The teamwork and the seamless communication and cooperation between various agencies are exemplary and deserve a very heartfelt thank you from the entire state.” – Senator Warren Hamilton, R-McCurtain
“Over the last 12 days, the effort to capture this escaped inmate has shown the true dedication of ODOC and other law enforcement officers to keeping Oklahoma safe. The coordination between state and local agencies was outstanding. A special thank you to the Haskell County Sheriff’s Office for keeping the community safe during the manhunt.” – Rep. Tim Turner, R-Kinta
