SEDALIA, Mo. — Authorities are looking for an escaped inmate who was last seen at the Missouri State fairgrounds.
According to the Missouri Department of Corrections, Shannon Dewayne Watts, walked away from a Missouri State Fair work site at the fairgrounds in Sedalia while on work release. The incident occurred around 12:45 a.m. Monday.
The Corrections Emergency Response Team was activated and assisted local law enforcement and the Missouri State Highway Patrol in a thorough search of the fairgrounds, concluding at 6:15 a.m. Monday. Watts was not found on the fairgrounds.
Watts is serving a sentence for second-degree burglary, two counts of first-degree burglary, three counts of forgery, two counts of possession of a controlled substance, two counts of resisting arrest, two counts of tampering with a motor vehicle, possession of a firearm, and leaving the scene of an accident in Greene County, as well as two counts of resisting arrest in Tane County. He was received by the Missouri Department of Corrections July 29, 2015. He previously was incarcerated from Sept. 9, 2012, to April 22, 2014.
Aug. 18, marked the final day of the 11-day Missouri State Fair. All year, teams of minimum-security work-release offenders perform maintenance and other work under close supervision at the fairgrounds. Larger teams are tapped during the fair to help with setup, cleanup, grounds-keeping and other duties.
Anyone with information should contact the Missouri State Highway Patrol or local law enforcement.
