Lima man escapes from Shelby County Jail

SIDNEY - A 19-year-old Lima man serving jail time in Shelby County escaped Sunday evening while working as a trusty.

Officials from the Shelby County Sheriff's Office said Terrance K. Barnes, of 718 S. Elizabeth St., Lima, was taking out the trash as part of his trusty duties in the kitchen, around 6:35 p.m., when he walked away from the complex just south of town.

Barnes was serving a 92-day jail sentence on convictions of receiving stolen property and contempt. He was scheduled to be released Oct. 8.

"We've never had anything like this," said Sgt. Mike Wick, of the Shelby County Sheriff's Office. "We've had people on work release leave their jobs, but this is a first for us."

Wick said Barnes is now facing much more serious charges in what he said was the jail's first escape since it was built in 1994.

"If anyone sees anything suspicious they should contact their local law enforcement," he said. "Anyone with information about Mr. Barnes can call our office at 937-498-1111. ... We have ground troops, or ground forces, searching the area as well as aircraft from the Ohio State Highway Patrol."

Wick said Barnes began serving his sentence Tuesday and was made a trusty shortly after. The duties to which he was assigned are for some of the more trusted inmates, he said, partly because of the nature of the sentence he was serving, which was much less serious than the charges he now faces.

"Now he's facing felony charges, for now it's at least escape, but it could be more," Wick said. "He sure didn't make it any easier on himself."

Barnes fled the jail on foot wearing a white jail uniform. He was described as a black man with black hair and brown eyes. He is 6-feet-2-inches tall and weighs 190 pounds.

Sheriff's officials said Sunday they did not believe he was armed.