Louisville, KY – A federal grand jury in Louisville, Kentucky, returned an indictment on October 7, 2026, charging a Louisville man with escape from federal custody and possession of a firearm by a prohibited person.According to the indictment, Damion Lamont Hayes, 26, of Louisville, Kentucky, was charged with escaping from federal custody on or about April 22, 2026, in Jefferson County, Kentucky. At the time of the alleged escape, Hayes was serving a 91-month federal prison sentence imposed following a judgment and conviction in the Western District of Kentucky, Case No. 3:20-CR-00054, for aiding and abetting carjacking. Hayes was confined at the Dismas Charity Center Residential Reentry Center under the authority of the Federal Bureau of Prisons when he allegedly escaped from custody.Additionally, Hayes was charged with possession of a firearm by a prohibited person. Hayes was prohibited from possessing a firearm because he had previously been convicted of the following felony offenses. On February 4, 2021, in United States District Court for the Western District of Kentucky, Case No. 3:20-CR-00054, Hayes was convicted of the offense of carjacking – aiding and abetting. On February 5, 2021, in Jefferson Circuit Court, Case No. 18-CR-3427-02, Hayes was convicted of the offenses of facilitation to murder and facilitation to robbery in the first degree.On February 5, 2021, in Jefferson Circuit Court, Case No. 20-CR-1273, Hayes was convicted of the offense of possession of a handgun by a convicted felon.If convicted as charged in the indictment, Hayes faces a combined mandatory maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. There is no parole in the federal system.This case is being investigated by the United States Marshals Service and Louisville Metro Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kayla M. Campbell is prosecuting the case.An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.###
Source: U.S. Department of Justice