Buffalo man charged with escape after over 2 months of being on the loose

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) — A Buffalo man was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with escape from custody for over two months after the U.S. Marshals Service was notified about him leaving a halfway house, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

Walter Stewart, 33, was initially sentenced to 58 months in prison on Sept. 15, 2022 for being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. He stayed at the Ray Brook Federal Correctional Institution.

On May 20, 2024, Stewart was moved to the CRJ Lighthouse Residential Reentry Center in Buffalo and was expected to be released by Aug. 10.

On June 26, the U.S. Marshals Service was notified by the Bureau of Prisons that Stewart allegedly left the center without authorization. He was taken into custody over two months later, on Aug. 30.

Escape from custody carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison.

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Kayleigh Hunter-Gasperini joined the News 4 team in 2024 as a Digital Video Producer. She is a graduate of Chatham University.

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