Escaped Inmate Captured After Hostage Incident

Robey L. Butler apprehended near Keota, Oklahoma after a multi-day search

Published on Mar. 2, 2026

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Robey L. Butler, an inmate who escaped from the Jackie Brannon Correctional Center in McAlester, Oklahoma on February 18 and later took a hostage, has been captured by authorities near Keota. Butler was found hiding near Otter Creek, a finger of the Robert S. Kerr Reservoir, after a search involving drones with thermal imaging technology.

Why it matters

The successful capture of Butler, who was serving a six-year sentence for child neglect, brings an end to a multi-day manhunt and hostage situation that had residents in eastern Oklahoma on high alert. The case highlights the challenges law enforcement face in apprehending escaped inmates, as well as the importance of advanced technology like thermal imaging drones in search and rescue operations.

The details

According to Sequoyah County Sheriff Larry Lane, Butler was apprehended on Monday morning near Keota, on "that little island right out in front of where we were searching for five days." The search involved deploying drones equipped with thermal imaging to detect Butler's heat signature, as he reportedly would jump into the water whenever he heard a drone approaching. Butler had taken a hostage on February 19 after breaking into a home in McAlester, forcing the homeowner to drive him to an area near Kerr Lake outside of Keota, before the hostage was released unharmed.

  • Butler escaped from the Jackie Brannon Correctional Center on February 18, 2026.
  • Butler took a hostage on February 19, 2026.
  • Butler was apprehended on March 2, 2026.

The players

Robey L. Butler

An inmate who escaped from the Jackie Brannon Correctional Center in McAlester, Oklahoma and later took a hostage before being captured near Keota.

Larry Lane

The Sequoyah County Sheriff who reported on the capture of Robey L. Butler.

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What they’re saying

“that every time he heard a drone coming, he just jumped in the water, that way thermal couldn't see him.”

— Robey L. Butler (sequoyahcountytimes.com)

What’s next

Butler will be transferred back to the Jackie Brannon Correctional Center to serve the remainder of his six-year sentence for child neglect.

The takeaway

This case highlights the importance of advanced technology like thermal imaging drones in search and rescue operations, as well as the challenges law enforcement face in apprehending escaped inmates who are willing to take hostages to evade capture.