Byron Roth Arrested After Escaping Halfway House Transport Near Fort Morgan

Byron Roth was taken into custody Tuesday, according to the Morgan County Sheriff's Office. The arrest concludes a seven day search for the inmate, who escaped from a transport vehicle last Friday in Morgan County.

Roth was being moved from a halfway house in Sterling, located in Logan County, to Weld County when he slipped free. Officials said he was not handcuffed or restrained in any way during the journey. The vehicle pulled over just outside Fort Morgan at approximately 10 a.m. on Oct. 16 after Roth complained of feeling ill. Once the car stopped, he ran and was not seen again until his arrest Tuesday.

The Morgan County Sheriff's Office warned the public via Facebook at around noon on the day of the escape. However, the Colorado State Patrol said it received an official alert only after 4 p.m. that same day, nearly six hours after Roth fled. The patrol noted that no record exists of anyone calling 911 immediately following the incident. Instead, a representative from Advantage Treatment Center emailed the State Patrol more than an hour later to request a warrant.

The state Division of Criminal Justice is currently involved in the matter. The agency has required Advantage Treatment Center to conduct a review of the incident and its internal policies. The division is also considering launching its own investigation. The company initially described the incident as a routine transport in an email to reporters. When asked why law enforcement was not involved sooner, the company declined to provide further comment.

In a full statement, Advantage Treatment Center said Roth was participating in a community corrections program at its Sterling location. The company stated it is hopeful he will be quickly remanded to custody, where he will face charges for his conduct. It added that internal policies and procedures are under review and the results will be shared with oversight agencies and local law enforcement.