A convicted child sex offender is back behind bars after breaking out of Texas jail

Robert Yancy, Jr was sentenced to life in prison without parole in 2022 for continuous sexual abuse of a child

Robert Yancy, Jr., shown in two undated photos (Texas Department of Criminal Justice)

A convicted child sex offender is back behind bars after breaking out of a Texas jail.

A manhunt was launched for a Robert Yancy, Jr, 39, who is serving a life sentence without parole for child sex abuse, after he escaped from the Clemens Unit prison in Brazoria, Texas, on Sunday.

The 39-year-old was seen at approximately 3.38pm at the prison getting into a 2021 white Nissan Versa before he escaped, the Texas Department of Criminal Justice said. His mother was also in the vehicle, the department added.

Yancy was later captured in Matagorda County on Monday morning.

He was reportedly captured at FM 521 River Park in Palacios after passersby recognised him and called authorities, according to KTRK.

He will now face felony escape charges, the Texas Department of Criminal Justice said.

The sheriff’s office said they made two other arrests in connection with Yancy’s escape after the Nissan’s license plate was entered into a statewide plate reader system, which alerted authorities that the vehicle was spotted at about 6.09pm in Victoria County, about 110 miles west of Brazoria.

Clemens Unit jail, where Yancy escaped from (iMedia/Wikipedia)

Officers then conducted a traffic stop at about 8.25pm on Sunday of a white Nissan related to the escaped inmate.

However, police only found Yancy’s mother, Lenor Priestle, in the vehicle, who was arrested and charged with facilitating his escape.

Another man, Russell Williams, who is believed to be Priestle’s boyfriend, was also arrested and charged with criminal intent to escape for helping Yancy, according to the Texas Department of Criminal Justice.

Yancy was sentenced to life in prison without parole in 2022 for continuous sexual abuse of a child out of Victoria County, according to jail records.