Constable in Delco erroneously released a Philly man being held on $250,000 bail

Over the weekend, a rumor swept through the Philadelphia jails, which last year saw four people escape: The jails were, once again, short a prisoner.

Ahmad Sanchez, a 28-year-old Wynnefield man who was being held in Philadelphia on $250,000 bail for gun charges — but had been transported to Delaware County for a court date — was released in error on Friday, according to his lawyer, Carmen C. Nasuti III.

Nasuti said he was notified late Friday that “somebody dropped the ball,”

Philadelphia Prisons Commissioner Michael Resnick said Sanchez was picked up last week by the Delaware County to transport him to its Media courthouse, then released him from there.

That’s despite what Resnick described as “clear indication on the paperwork” saying “do not release, return to Philadelphia.”

Resnick said a warrant is out for Sanchez’s arrest, and local law enforcement have been notified. He said Sanchez should turn himself in.

”What we do in that situation is we ask the court for a bench warrant and we advise the family that this was done in error,” Resnick said.

A spokesperson for Delaware County said the prisoner was transported by a constable and was not in the custody of the local jail or court.

Nasuti said he informed Sanchez’s mother that his client had been inadvertently released. “It was news to her,” he said Monday morning. “I told his mother to contact me today if he wants to turn himself in.”

Sanchez, whose criminal history includes a number of gun and drug convictions, is accused of carrying an unlicensed gun with an altered serial number in Philadelphia. Attempts to reach him were not successful.

Last year, the region made international news with high-profile jailbreaks: Danilo Cavalcante crab-walked up a wall and out of the Chester County jail, then spent two weeks on the run.

And in Philadelphia, Ameen Hurst and Nasir Grant squeezed under a fence and into a waiting getaway car, while a guard slept on the job. Then a woman scaled a perimeter fence before being apprehended. And Gino Hagenkotter, who was jailed on theft and drug charges, crept off a work detail, fled to the city’s Harrowgate section, and died of an overdose.

This article has been updated to include the comments of the Delaware County spokesperson.