Authorities mistakenly release man who escaped from NERCC

Authorities mistakenly release man who escaped from NERCC

HIBBING — An inmate who was the subject of a two-week, regionwide manhunt last fall after escaping from a local correctional facility is again being sought by authorities — this time because he was mistakenly released from jail. A judge on Thursday issued an arrest warrant for Michael Todd Hart, 40, of Hibbing, who was freed after pleading guilty to a pair of charges in Itasca County on Jan. 21. Bonnie Norlander, head of the Iron Range criminal …

Itasca County Sheriff explains why prison escapee was released

GRAND RAPIDS, Minn. – The Itasca County Sheriff Joe Dasovich has released a statement explaining the release of Michael Hart. On January 21, Hart was released from the Itasca County Jail.  Hart was the subject of a large manhunt when he walked away from the Northeast Regional Corrections Center (NERCC) approximately four months prior. The statement from Dasovich included the line, “Hart was released in accordance with the law.”  That is because …