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Man wrongly released from jail, Hampton prosecutor says

Posted at 3:21 PM, Jul 20, 2018
and last updated 2018-07-20 20:22:45-04

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. - A man was wrongly released from jail last week, Hampton's Commonwealth's Attorney says.

Daniel Mowrey was arrested in late June in Suffolk on charges from Newport News and Hampton. Police say he violated a protective order from his wife.

Mowrey was being held at Western Tidewater Regional Jail until he was transferred to the Newport News City Jail on July 3. Last week a judge granted him a bond of $4500. The next day he was released from jail.

Anton Bell, the Commonwealth's Attorney in Hampton, says the judge didn't know there was a hold on Mowrey for the Hampton charge, meaning he shouldn't have been released.

"I'm concerned for the victim because as you and I both know you cannot take domestic abuse for granted," Bell told News 3. "The one thing I do not want to happen is for something to happen to that young lady."

The Newport News Sheriff's Office didn't get paperwork of the Hampton charge from Western Tidewater Regional Jail, according to Newport News Chief Deputy Col. E. Sprinkle.

Meanwhile, a jail official from Western Tidewater Regional Jail sent News 3 a copy of Mowrey's warrants showing pending charges from both Newport News and Hampton.

Bell calls the situation a miscommunication and is hoping Mowrey will turn himself in or someone will recognize him and call police.

"I want to make sure that nothing that we could’ve prevented ever takes place. This is something that if something goes wrong we could have prevented that in the criminal justice system," Bell said.

News 3 reached out to Mowrey's attorney, but didn't hear back.