Hancock County escapee captured in Louisiana

Hancock County Sheriff’s Office said that the prisoner who walked off a work detail is back in custody.

Officials said Kelli Palermo has been captured and is returned to custody after being located in the Lake Charles, Louisiana area.

Palermo will be extradited to Hancock County where she will face new charges for escape. She had been in the Hancock County jail on a probation violation. She was arrested initially on a drug charge.

According to Sheriff Ricky Adam, part of the rehabilitation process is transitioning inmates to a worker status and there are times that inmates demonstrate that they are not yet capable of maintaining our trust.

Adam said investigators learned she had a friend who lived outside of Lake Charles and, with the help of U.S. Marshals, located Palermo in that area.