Fairfax County inmate back in custody after ‘errant release’

A D.C. man who was mistakenly released from the Fairfax County Adult Detention Center Sunday evening was back in police custody Monday morning.

The Fairfax County Sheriff’s Office said that Donald Bernard Lewis, 53, of Washington, D.C. was arrested at 9:20 a.m. in D.C. by sheriff’s deputies and the U.S. Marshals Fugitive Task Force.

Lewis was arrested Monday without incident.

His release around 7:30 p.m. Sunday prompted an advisory to George Mason University students to seek shelter in a safe and secure location.

“This person has a history of violence,” George Mason University Police said in a statement Sunday.

According to the sheriff’s office, Lewis was arrested May 18 on three grand larceny charges.

Editor’s note: This story has been updated to reflect Fairfax County police’s statement that Lewis was mistakenly released.

Colleen Kelleher

Colleen Kelleher is an award-winning journalist who has been with WTOP since 1996. Kelleher joined WTOP as the afternoon radio writer and night and weekend editor and made the move to WTOP.com in 2001. Now she works early mornings as the site's Senior Digital Editor.

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