CANTON, Ohio (AP) - An inmate released by mistake by jail officials in Ohio arranged his own way back to the prison in Colorado where he still has two more years to serve. He even called to say he was on his way.

Stark County jailers let Ricky Lee Claycomb go on Tuesday after he was acquitted of a rape charge he had been brought to Ohio from Colorado to face. Jail officials apparently never saw the paperwork to return him to the prison.

``We don't know exactly what happened,'' Sheriff Tim Swanson said.

Claycomb, 37, called his mother in Henderson, Colo.


``He told them at the jail that he was supposed to be taken back to Colorado,'' said his mother, Jill Claycomb. ``He said they told him he was done in Canton and it was his problem to get back.''


She sent him money for a bus ticket. After the two-day trip to Colorado, Claycomb visited her long enough to have oatmeal and peaches for breakfast and pizza for lunch, and then his brother drove him to Colorado's Fremont Correctional Facility in Canyon City.


``He was nice enough to call ahead,'' said Katherine Sanguinetti, a spokeswoman for the Colorado Department of Corrections. ``I think he was afraid we would shoot him or something, but it wasn't his fault Ohio let him go.''


Claycomb was serving time in Colorado for robbery, and was brought to Ohio to stand trial on a 1994 rape charge after a crime database indicated a DNA match.


However, Claycomb testified that he had consensual sex with the woman the day before the alleged assault, and jurors acquitted him.


Jill Claycomb said that soon after her telephone conversation with her son, Stark County authorities called to find out if she knew where he was.


``I told a detective what happened, that he was coming back to Colorado on his own,'' she said. ``He just said `Bless Ricky's little heart.'''

This guy should get parole, talk about being honest...........

I bet he doesn't get his money back

Huddles ... that's the SAME thought I had.

The Parole Board is going to have a tough time turning this one down!

this kind of thing amazes me - totally...
the report said that the bloke might have even had 'consensual' sex, still he went to prison, yet after having been allowed to 'go', he still called and said that he was going back. i see that he was acquitted, but he obviously still had 'time to serve' or he wouldnt have gone back. but the guy called and said he was on his way back!!! hello? so there are still some decent men. whatever his crime might have been, i say 'congrats' to this 'convict' for doing 'the right thing..'

gobbi he was servin time in Colorado for robbery thats one charge

and was brought to Ohio to stand trial on a 1994 rape charge after a crime database indicated a DNA match.

Claycomb testified that he had consensual sex with the woman the day before the alleged assault


and jurors acquitted him. on the charge of rape because of it beign consented sex the day before the crime happen

so going from Ohio back to COL where he was still serving his time for the robbery

Jail officials in Ohio apparently never saw the paperwork to return him to the prison. so he made his way by hisself from Ohio back to COL on a bus and called COL to alert them that he was on his way back from Ohio which in a way is good because they could of trumped more charges up on him and say he went awall and ran away making his time longer..

to me i think he needs time off his sentence

thanks for letting me know that wolf. and i would say too,yes,i agree, he should get time off his sentence. let us know if you hear anything more about this case wont you>?

Hell if I was on the Parole Board, I would let him free. I don't know many who would do what he did. Honesty is the best policy. Maybe he is one of those inmates who stands out about the rest and has learned a lesson It seems to be that way.