Man accused of cutting off electronic monitor twice in 3 months rearrested

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Charlotte-Mecklenburg police have caught a man who they said cut off his electronic monitor for the second time in three months. Police had been searching for Corey Lampkin for days.

Lampkin, 18, faces several charges, including stealing a car and possession of a handgun by a minor. He was given an electronic ankle monitor as a condition of his release before his trial.

Officials said Lampkin cut off his monitor on Sunday and was last seen near Clanton Road.

Officers also searched for Lampkin in September when they said he cut off his monitor then as well. At that time, he was out of jail with an attempted armed robbery and conspiracy to commit armed robbery charge.

He has been arrested eight times this year and has several pending cases in Mecklenburg County ranging from robbery to fleeing and eluding.

Cheryl Jones with CharMeck Court Watch, who monitors these types of cases, said this should never happen.

Lampkin’s release order didn’t show any conditions of electronic monitoring, only a stamp that CMPD be notified before his release. Jones told Eyewitness News anchor Blaine Tolison a judge should have checked Lampkin’s history.

“Does it surprise me that he got an ankle monitor a second time period,” Jones said. “No. Somebody already given him a chance to let him out on electronic monitor one time. You don’t turn around and do it again and especially, this was just three months ago.”

Police Chief Kerr Putney has been reevaluating the monitoring program for several months. Earlier this month, CMPD announced it will no longer track homicide suspects with electronic monitors because it said the program allows too many dangerous criminals back on the streets to commit more crime.

Putney has also been considering dropping it altogether and said eliminating homicide suspects from the program is a step in the right direction. He said they may also stop monitoring other defendants charged with violent crimes.

The Public Defender’s Office disagrees, saying there needs to be a better basis for evaluating who is put on a monitor.

CMPD chief addresses repeat offenders wearing ankle monitors CMPD chief addresses repeat offenders wearing ankle monitors

This year, CMPD has monitored nearly 2,000 people.

Of those, 6.5% have cut their devices off and now, four people have cut their devices off twice.

Officials said 18 people who cut off their electronic monitoring device are unaccounted for.

They also said 65% of people who cut off their monitors were being monitored for violent crimes and around 100 people have committed another crime while being monitored.

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