Nikki Doddrill, Escape from Federal Custody, West Virginia 2016

CHARLESTON, W.Va. – In a shocking case of defiance against federal custody, Nikki Doddrill, 30, of Summersville, pleaded guilty to escaping from a halfway house. Doddrill’s plea to escaping from federal custody sets her up for a stiff prison sentence.

According to Acting United States Attorney Carol Casto, Doddrill entered her guilty plea in a hearing before United States District Judge John T. Copenhaver, Jr. Doddrill’s decision to leave the halfway house without permission led to a nationwide manhunt that ended with her apprehension in Richwood on August 27, 2015.

It was revealed in court that Doddrill was serving a sentence for conspiracy to manufacture methamphetamine. The sentence was reduced to six months in a residential halfway house at Dismas Charities in St. Albans. Doddrill failed to return to the halfway house on the evening of May 12, 2015, prompting an investigation by the United States Marshals Service.

Assistant United States Attorney Gabriele Wohl is in charge of the prosecution. The investigation in this case marked the third guilty plea this year for escaping from a halfway house. The permissions granted to residents of halfway houses are designed to make transitions from federal prison back into society successful. Doddrill’s actions, however, show a blatant disregard for these rules.

The United States Attorney’s Office has made it clear that they will not tolerate those serving the remainder of their prison sentences in halfway houses from unlawfully abandoning this transition period before their sentences are complete. This case is a stark reminder of the consequences of such actions.

Doddrill faces up to five years in federal prison when she is sentenced on September 21, 2016. The sentence is a harsh reminder of the importance of following the rules and respecting the terms of one’s sentence.

In related news, the United States Attorney’s Office is urging residents of halfway houses to respect the terms of their sentence and not attempt to escape. The office has made it clear that they will aggressively pursue those who attempt to flee federal custody.

Related Federal Cases