LASD seeks public's help in locating wrongly released inmate

Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department (LASD) detectives are searching for 37-year-old Steven Lawrence Wright, who was erroneously released from the Inmate Reception Center (IRC) on Saturday, January 30, 2016 at approximately 12:55 p.m.

The Sheriff's Department became aware of the release at approximately 9:30 p.m. on Sunday, January 31, 2016 and immediately started to coordinate resources with Pasadena Police Department to quickly locate and take Inmate Wright into custody. Numerous resources, including a task force with LASD's Major Crimes Bureau, has been implemented to gather and analyze information and investigate any tips leading to the apprehension of Inmate Wright. The Sheriff's Department takes this matter very seriously and is fully engaged with returning Inmate Wright to custody, aggressively pursuing a number of leads as to his whereabouts. In addition, with all erroneous releases we will conduct a critical incident review to make necessary improvements to the system.

Inmate Wright was arrested by Pasadena Police Department on April 7, 2011. He was in our custody pending trial for a gang-related murder that occurred in the city of Pasadena on January 19, 2011.

The Sheriff's Department is committed to ensuring the safety and security of the citizens of Los Angeles.

If anyone has any information on the whereabouts of Inmate Wright, you are urged to contact the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department's Major Crimes Bureau at (562) 946-7231. If you prefer to provide information anonymously, you may call "Crime Stoppers" by dialing (800) 222-TIPS (8477), or texting the letters TIPLA plus your tip to CRIMES (274637), or by using the website http://lacrimestoppers.org/

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