Man charged with escape after not returning from furlough

Feb. 22—FINDLEY TOWNSHIP — A Sharon man was charged with escape after he was let out of Mercer County Jail on a furlough and failed to return as scheduled.

Toney Allen Bonner II, 34, of 15 W. Connelly Blvd., Apartment 409, Sharon, was charged with escape after corrections officers discovered at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 17 that he did not return to the jail in Findley Township.

Jail Warden Mac McDuffie said that before the incident, Bonner had been a model inmate.

“Toney Bonner was on work release for over six months,” McDuffie said. “We never had an issue with him.”

The charges follow two escape charges filed in December and January against inmates who had been released for medical furlough when they failed to return as scheduled.

Mercer County Prison Board announced Tuesday that it would revise its medical furlough policy to prevent future escapes.

McDuffie said there are several types of furloughs, including medical and work release. Bonner had been released on a furlough to secure a residence once he got out of jail. He was on track to be released early.

McDuffie said Bonner was leaving daily for work for six months. He was working 60 hours a week, six days a week and had met all requirements for work release. He passed his drug test and he was up to date on payments.

Bonner received the furlough Feb. 16 and turned himself in at 7 a.m. Sunday.

Bonner was serving a 6- to 12-month sentence from an August 2023 conviction of theft and giving false identification to law enforcement.

“I don’t think the judge will grant him an early parole now,” McDuffie said. “It’s unfortunate that these things happen. This doesn’t happen a lot.”

Follow Melissa Klaric on twitter @HeraldKlaric or email her at mklaric@sharonherald.com