It happened around 9:15 a.m. Monday, when a woman was taken hostage at gunpoint inside her home. The Lee County Sheriff's Office said the woman was able to "discreetly communicate" with a family member who called 911.
Deputies arrived and started negotiations with the suspect, Antwan Lopez Clemons, 46. Clemons later released the hostage and surrendered without incident. No injuries were reported.
While taking him into custody, Clemons was still wearing a prison-issued outfit, deputies said. Further investigation revealed that he was supposed to be serving an active federal sentence at Butner Federal Prison Camp.
Clemons was charged with:
- first-degree kidnapping
- breaking and/or entering to terrorize or injure
- two counts of assault by pointing a gun
- misdemeanor crime of domestic violence
- communicating threats
- possession of a firearm by a convicted felon
He is being held in the Lee County Jail without bond. Authorities said additional charges are forthcoming.
On Thursday, the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) Office of Public Affairs released the following statement, clarifying Clemons' custody status at the time of the incident:
"Antwan Lopez Clemons was a minimum-security inmate assigned to the satellite camp adjacent to FCI Butner Medium I, where he had been housed since July 2, 2025. Satellite prison camps are minimum-security facilities that typically feature dormitory housing, a low staff-to-inmate ratio, and limited or no perimeter fencing. These camps are work and program-oriented and provide inmate labor to the main institution and off-site work details."
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According to the BOP, Clemons was present for the 5 a.m. count on April 20. Following the clearing of that count, inmates were permitted to attend breakfast or access authorized areas of the facility. During a routine census count conducted around 9 a.m., staff were notified by the Lee County Sheriff's Office that Clemons was already in their custody.
An immediate recall and official count were conducted, confirming that Clemons was the only inmate unaccounted for. BOP officials stated that had law enforcement not contacted the facility, Clemons would have been identified as missing during the census count, prompting an immediate recall, notification to local law enforcement, and a public alert to media outlets.
Lee County Sheriff Brian Estes commended his deputies for their swift and professional actions. "I commend our deputies for their quick thinking and decisive response, which allowed this dangerous situation to end safely without anyone being hurt," Estes said.