Since April 20, four individuals in the Newton County Sheriff's Office work release program have not reported back to jail.

Capt. Mark Roberts said judges can assign criminals to the program, usually for child support and probation violations. Work release participants must sign an agreement, including when they are expected to report back to the Newton County Detention Center.

"If they leave one morning and they don't come back that night and they have criminal charges on them," Roberts said, "then we issue an escape warrant for them."

If caught, Roberts said the escapees could face more severe penalties than they did for their original offenses, and will not be placed back into the work release program.

On April 20, Tianna Ulganda Colvard, 31, was instructed to report back to the detention center at 8 p.m. Deputy Douglas Donihe reported she has not been seen or heard from since she left that morning.

 Donihe also reported Stacie Yvette Belcher, 36, has not been seen since 5 a.m. on May 3 and owes the jail $120 in pod fees.

Michael Glen Matthews, 34, did not return to the detention center after work on May 5 until May 12. Matthews told Donihe his probation officer had released him from the program.

Donihe instructed Matthews to report back to the work release facility on Stallings Street on May 14 after he could verify with his probation officer that he had been discharged from the program.

He disappeared.

William Daryl Ledford, 43, did not report back to the detention center on the evening of June 8 and has not made contact with Donihe since.

According to Roberts the program currently monitors 48 males and 6 females.

To report any information about the work release agreement violators, call the Newton County Sheriff's Office at (678) 625-1400.