A search is underway in Georgia for a convicted rapist and child molester who was mistakenly let out of prison early.
Tony Maycon Munoz-Mendez, 31, began serving one of three life sentences in 2015 after he was convicted of rape and aggravated child molestation in Gwinnett County, Georgia.
However, due to an ‘error’, Munoz-Mendez was released from Rogers State Prison in Reidsville at around noon on Friday, October 25. Authorities are still searching for him.
You can find out more about this story in the following news report:
The Georgia Department of Corrections released a public statement about the mistake on Monday, October 28. It has not been explained how the error occurred, or why it took three days for the department to issue a statement.
According to CBS News, the department have since made the following comments on the matter:
The priority of the GDC is apprehending the offender as quickly as possible and at this time we have all resources focused on the search.
As soon as the error was discovered, the GDC immediately put those resources into place. While we do not have enough information to share specifics of the search, we will be following any and every lead made available to us.
Officials from both the Georgia Department of Corrections Fugitive Unit and the United States Marshals Service are among those searching for Munoz-Mendez.
Munoz-Mendez was given three life sentences back in March 2015 for the rape and child molestation of a child under the age of 10 years old, according to WSB-TV Atlanta.
The case involved the 10-year-old daughter of Munoz-Mendez’s then girlfriend, with the abuse taking place over a period of several years, as NBC News reports.
Munoz-Mendez is reported to be five feet, nine inches in height, weighing approximately 186 pounds. He is also said to have brown hair and eyes.
Members of the public have been urged to call 911 should they spot Munoz-Mendez, and have been warned not to approach him.
Those with any information regarding the whereabouts of Tony Maycon Munoz-Mendez should contact the Georgia Department of Corrections immediately at (478) 992-5111 or email gdc.ciu@gdc.ga.gov.
If you have been affected by any of the issues in this article and wish to speak to someone in confidence, contact the Rape Crisis England and Wales helpline on 0808 802 9999 (12-2:30 and 7-9:30). Alternatively you can contact Victim Support on 08 08 16 89 111.
Male Survivors Partnership is available to support adult male survivors of sexual abuse and rape. You can contact the organisation on its website or on its helpline – 0808 800 5005.
Jules studied English Literature with Creative Writing at Lancaster University before earning her masters in International Relations at Leiden University in The Netherlands (Hoi!). She then trained as a journalist through News Associates in Manchester. Jules has previously worked as a mental health blogger, copywriter and freelancer for various publications.