BROWARD COUNTY, FL (BocaNewsNow.com) (Copyright © 2025 MetroDesk Media, LLC) — A multistate manhunt ended in Broward County this week after a federal inmate serving a life sentence escaped a Georgia jail, kidnapped a driver, and fled to South Florida. Stevenson Charles, 24, was captured by a task force of federal and local agents after a pursuit that spanned hundreds of miles. Charles had been in federal custody for carjacking and kidnapping before being transferred to the DeKalb County Jail on December 5 to face trial for a 2022 murder.
Charles was declared missing Monday during a routine security check in DeKalb County when authorities realized he was missing along with two other inmates, 31-year-old Yusuf Minor and 25-year-old Naod Yohannes. Following their escape, the trio allegedly summoned a rideshare vehicle and took the driver hostage. Investigators say one of the men wrapped a rope around the driver’s neck while another bound the victim’s hands, eventually forcing the victim into the backseat and threatening their life during the long drive south.
Investigators located the vehicle in South Florida when they saw Charles behind the wheel. After a high-speed chase and a brief foot pursuit, officers apprehended Charles and recovered a firearm discarded along the route. Minor and Yohannes were also tracked down and taken into custody late Monday night. U. S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones praised the “speed, coordination, and resolve” of the U. S. Marshals, FBI, and local police who worked together to remove the “dangerous, violent felon” from the streets.
The apprehension was a massive collaborative effort involving the Broward Sheriff’s Office, Miramar Police, and Miami Police alongside federal agencies. Officials noted that the search moved rapidly from Georgia across state lines to ensure the fugitives did not remain at large. Deputy Chief Elena Smukler-Dominguez assisted in the capture, while the case is now being handled by the U. S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida.
Legal proceedings are already moving forward, with Charles and Yohannes making their first federal court appearances in Fort Lauderdale on December 23 to face new kidnapping charges. Minor is scheduled for his initial court appearance on December 29. As the investigation continues, prosecutors say they are focused on ensuring all three men are held fully accountable for the escape and the violent kidnapping of the innocent driver.
