A prisoner from Albany, Kentucky, being held in the Wayne County Detention Center in neighboring Monticello, Kentucky, has escaped and at press time Tuesday, remains at large.

According to Wayne County Sheriff Tim Catron, on March 27, 2022, at 8:27 pm, the Wayne County Monticello 911 Dispatch Center received a call from the Detention Center reporting that prisoner Joseph Payton, of Albany, Ky., had escaped.

Multiple units from the Wayne County Sheriff’s Office and Monticello Police Department responded to the Detention Center.

Upon arrival all units learned that the Detention Center employees could not confirm how long the escapee had been missing.

Detention Center inmate logs showed the escapee was still in the Detention Center while medications were disbursed to inmates earlier on March 27, 2022.

Video footage showed the inmate had not been in his bunk area since Friday March 25, 2022.

While questioning other inmates, one stated that the escapee had walked out of the recreation area at approximately 4 pm on Friday ,March 25, 2022.

Clinton County authorities were notified along with Kentucky State Police about the escapee and he has been entered as an escapee into NCIC.

Payton’s last known address was 117 East Harper Road, Albany, Ky.

An arrest warrant will be obtained today for Payton on escape-2nd degree.

If anyone has any information on Payton’s location, you are asked to call the Wayne County Sheriff’s Office, Monticello Police Department or any law enforcement agency.

The investigation is continuing by the Wayne County Sheriff Office and the Monticello Police Department.

On March 25, 2022, at 4:50 p.m. Monticello Police Department took a report of a stolen pickup truck from a lot on Kentucky Highway 90, approximately one mile west from the Detention Center.

The vehicle description is a 2001 Dodge Ram extended cab pickup truck. This truck is white in color with a broken windshield and damage to the front in a V-shape pattern.

It is believed that the escapee may have stolen this truck.

2001 Dodge pickup believed to have been

stolen by Payton following his escape