The Jones County Sheriff’s Department received an added bonus Monday as they not only apprehended one of two inmates who escaped from the Jones County Detention Facility on Friday, but also one of the county’s “Most Wanted.”

Edward Grammer, a 46-year-old white male, last known address of 201 Front Street in Ellisville, was caught hiding in a bedroom closet of a residence on Tower Road in Ellisville. He has been returned to the custody of the Mississippi Department of Corrections.

Deputies arrested him while investigating the escape of Claude Johnson and Ira Hadley, Jr., both of Laurel, from the Jones County Adult Detention Facility over the weekend.

Johnson, a 33-year-old white male, and Hadley, a 17-year-old black male, jumped the fence of the recreation yard around 2 p.m. Friday, leading deputies on a foot pursuit along Highway 11. At one point, members of the Jones County Sheriff’s Department, Ellisville Police Department and Mississippi Highway Patrol set up a check point along Interstate 59 in Ellisville.

Johnson was captured around 8 a.m. Monday morning in the 4000 block of Indian Springs Road. A press release said that Johnson was apprehended in a wooded area near the residence when he attempted to flee.

By phone, Jones County Sheriff Alex Hodge credited the work of investigators Capt. Don Scott and investigator Rick Walters in the arrest.

“They did a fabulous job of tracking this guy down by working through the system with visits and phone calls,” Hodge said. “During this investigation, we also caught one of Jones County’s Most Wanted.”

Hodge said Johnson does have a prior escape on his record from the same facility, but said it happened before he became sheriff.

“It was several years ago, in 2006 or 2007,” he said.

Johnson was serving time on commercial burglary of Xtreme Outfitter and Pawn & Trade in July when the latest escape happened. Hodge said those charges now include residential burglary for breaking into an unoccupied dwelling and escape, a mandatory sentence which carries a minimum of five years.

Johnson was booked into the Jones County Adult Detention Facility without incident Monday afternoon.

While being escorted from the Jones County Sheriff’s Office, local TV news cameras asked Johnson why he decided to escape from jail.

“I didn’t know how much time I was looking at,” he said. “I thought I was getting 60 years.”

Johnson said he “unfortunately” broke into the house, but noted that he enjoyed his time out from behind bars.

“Every hour in the briar and brambles is better than an hour in jail,” he said, as deputies loaded him into the back of a squad car.

Hodge added that he believes it is only a matter of time before Hadley is also returned to the jail.

“We’re working with the public and other agencies to get him back into custody,” he said. “We hope to have him soon. We’re following up on everything we can, and encourage the media to put his face out there until we get him.

“ We take the public’s assistance very seriously and are grateful for any information that we receive from citizens,” Hodge added in the press release. “We could not be successful in apprehending criminals without input from the community.”

Hadley, who has a last known address of 317 West 17th Street, is described as a black male, standing 5-foot-5 and weighing 100 pounds.

When asked about tightening security at the Jones County Adult Detention Facility, Hodge said he takes full responsibility for the escape, but noted the jail is “overcrowded and understaffed.”

“Something has to be done,” he said. “We need to expand and upgrade the facility and add additional manpower. We only have four people (per shift) watching 190 to 200 inmates per day. I can tell you that’s not enough.”

Hodge said he doesn’t blame the lack of manpower on the escape, but said it brings to light the financial restrictions he has faced since taking office.

“The board (Supervisors) has been very supportive of this department, but the needs are going to have to be prioritized,” he said. “I’ve been allocated a budget to run this facility, but it only allows me to hire four people per shift. It’s just not enough.”

Hodge said he can’t allocate two employees to watch the recreation yard if only four people are working per shift.

“You need two people out there and you’re required to give them recreational time,” he said. “It’s a ‘danged if you do, danged if you don’t’ situation. I’m making do with what I can the best I can.

“We don’t have enough people on the road or in the jail,” Hodge added. “But, we’re a lot better than we were. We’re 100 percent better than where we were 22 months ago.”

Anyone having information concerning the whereabouts of Ira Hadley, Jr., is asked to contact the Jones County Sheriff’s Department at 601-425-3147 or Jones County Crime Stoppers at 601-428-7867 (STOP).