Escapee caught after three months on the run

A man convicted of making methamphetamine who bolted from a Kitsap County Superior Court room moments after a jury delivered its guilty verdict during January was captured this week.

According to the Kitsap County Deputy Scott Wilson, Jody Ray Lemon, 31, was arrested without incident Tuesday morning at a home on the 1100 block of Woods Road. Lemon was returned to Kitsap County Jail and held without bail until his arraignment on failure to appear charges Thursday.

The day of his escape, Jan. 26, Lemon was facing several years in prison for convictions on two counts of manufacturing methamphetamine, crimes that also carried mandatory two-year sentencing enhancements because they had occurred within school zones, according to court documents.

According to Wilson, witnesses reported that moments after Lemon heard the jury’s verdict, he ran from the courtroom and escaped from the courthouse by running down the hall and out an employee entrance.

Wilson said there were no courthouse security personnel, law enforcement or

corrections officers present in the courtroom with Lemon on the day of his escape, explaining that such escorts were not required because the defendant was not in custody, having posted bail and returned to the court with his defense attorney.

Lemon was located and arrested April 5 by West Sound Narcotics Enforcement Team (WestNET) detectives and Sheriff’s deputies who served a search warrant on the Woods road property.

He was then booked into jail on two warrants for failure to appear and was held without bail. Wilson said corrections officers would be present at Lemon’s next court appearance, which was Thursday afternoon.

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