Why Was Escaped Convict Billy Fletcher on Work Assignment? Sheriff's Office Responds | WJHL

Billy Fletcher – Courtesy of the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division

CARTER COUNTY, Tenn. (WJHL) — Following the arrest of an escaped Carter County inmate, the Sheriff's Office is answering questions from the public about why he was able to serve on a work unit.

Billy Fletcher, 43, was arrested Thursday in Greenville County, South Carolina. Fletcher escaped from his workstation at the Carter County Detention Center on June 20. His escape remained under investigation as of Friday.

According to the Carter County Sheriff's Office (CCSO), Fletcher was in contact with missing man Victor Birchfield shortly after his escape. Birchfield remained missing as of Friday, but CCSO confirmed his vehicle had been recovered in South Carolina.

“Following Fletcher’s escape, the Carter County Sheriff’s Office received questions about Fletcher’s participation in the inmate work program regarding charges filed against Fletcher from a previous arrest,” CCSO said in a news release.

The statement said Fletcher was serving a three-year prison sentence after being convicted of violating his probation. He was on probation after being convicted of attempted burglary.

The attempted burglary charge stems from a November 2017 incident that led to Fletcher initially being charged with domestic battery, attempted kidnapping and attempted burglary. News Channel 11 obtained court documents from that incident that show Fletcher held a woman by the throat and tried to force her into a truck before another man intervened and shot Fletcher.

CCSO reports that when the case went to court, the attempted kidnapping and domestic violence charges were dropped. Fletcher was convicted of attempted burglary.

“Our nation’s criminal justice system is based on the principle that a person is innocent until proven guilty,” Carter County Sheriff Mike Fraley said in the statement. “In this case, Fletcher was convicted of attempted aggravated burglary, but not of kidnapping or domestic violence.”

Inmates who participate in a prison work program must meet certain qualifications, as outlined by Tennessee state law. The CCSO reports that this largely depends on the inmates' convictions.

“Under our policy, which is consistent with state law, an inmate serving a sentence for violent offenses, whether a misdemeanor or felony, is not eligible to participate in the inmate work program,” jail administrator Capt. Matt Patterson said in the statement. “Before an inmate is assigned to the inmate work program, we conduct a comprehensive criminal background check on that individual, not only to see what their criminal history looks like in Carter County, but also in other jurisdictions.”

Fletcher's criminal background check revealed convictions for attempted burglary, probation violation and failure to appear in court in Carter County. It also revealed a misdemeanor conviction for violating a protective order in another county.

“None of Fletcher's convictions are classified under state law as 'violent offenses' that would prohibit him from participating in an inmate work program,” Patterson said.

Fletcher had been participating in the prison's work program since Jan. 26, 2024. CCSO said he had not been involved in any disciplinary incidents prior to his escape.