Man who fled Harrison County courthouse during trial captured in Illinois

A man who fled the Harrison County courthouse just before a jury convicted him of sex crimes against a 7-year-old child has been captured.

On May 28, 54-year-old Jimmy Joe Davis was being tried on one count of sexual battery and one count of touching of a child for lustful purposes. As the jury deliberated, Davis left the courthouse and failed to return after the jury reached their verdict.

Davis was taken into custody in Harrisburg, Illinois, by U.S. Marshals on Thursday and was booked into the Saline County jail, District Attorney W. Crosby Parker confirmed.

Parker said his office is preparing an extradition warrant to bring him back to Mississippi for sentencing in that trial.

Davis faces a possible sentence of life plus 15 years in prison on the charges.