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Los Angeles inmate released by mistake

Posted at 3:54 PM, Feb 02, 2016
and last updated 2016-02-02 18:54:01-05

Just days after three escaped Orange County jail inmates were recaptured, Los Angeles County sheriff's officials say they accidentally released an inmate awaiting trial in connection with a 2011 killing in Pasadena.

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Steven Lawrence Wright, 37, was mistakenly released from the sheriff's Inmate Reception Center at 12:55 p.m. Saturday, according to the sheriff's department. Sheriff's officials didn't detect the error until about 9:30 p.m.
Sunday.

It was not immediately clear what led to Wright's erroneous release.

Wright, of Altadena, was arrested April 7, 2011, as part of a gang sweep by Pasadena police. He is suspected in the Jan. 19, 2011, killing of Pasadena resident Donnell Taylor.

Wright was one of eight suspected gang members arrested in the sweep, which resulted from an investigation into a series of shootings, including Taylor's killing and an attempted murder in Altadena on March 15, 2011. Sheriff's officials said they are coordinating with Pasadena police in their search for Wright.

Anyone with information on Wright was urged to contact the sheriff's Major Crimes Bureau at (562) 946-7231. Information can also be submitted to Crime Stoppers at (800) 222-8477, or by texting the letters TIPLA plus the tip
to CRIMES (274637) or to the website http://lacrimestoppers.org.