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Inmate freed in error back in custody

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HPD

Christopher Campos

The Department of Public Safety had no real answer Monday on how a 65-year-old Oahu Community Correctional Center inmate was erroneously released Saturday, saying the matter remains under investigation.

Public Safety announced Sunday law enforcement was looking for Christopher Campos and that he should not have been released.

Deputy sheriffs Monday found Campos downtown and returned him to OCCC. He was awaiting trial on probation revocation related to credit card fraud.

The same mistake was made in July 2018 when a 49-year-old Big Island murder suspect was released from Hawaii Community Correctional Center. Brian Lee Smith was supposed to be held in lieu of $1.15 million bail after pleading not guilty in a fatal shooting.

Smith turned himself in, and Public Safety Director Nolan Espinda apologized to the Hawaii island community for 24 hours of uncertainty.

Campos was convicted July 9, 2014, of identity theft, unauthorized possession of personal and confidential information, credit card fraud, attempted theft and credit card theft and forgery. He was sentenced Sept. 24, 2014, to a six-month jail term and four years of probation.

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