Cedar Rapids man wanted for escape from transitional center located in Iowa City with woman who has no contact order

Hunter
07/27/23

A Cedar Rapids man who left a transitional center for a medical appointment and never returned was located in Iowa City with a woman who has a no-contact order against him.

35-year-old Samuel Lockett was in the Lary Nelson Center on charges of Burglary and a Registration violation as a sex offender. On the afternoon of July 17th, Lockett was signed out to receive medical treatment; Mercy Medical Center personnel confirmed that he made that appointment.

Lockett then stated he was heading to a nearby HyVee Drug, an approximate 30 minute walk from the Medical Center. The last contact Nelson Center staff had from Lockett was at around 6:45pm when he stated he was heading back there.

When he did not return, officers went out looking for Lockett but were unable to find him. He was then placed on escape status after staff were unsuccessful in contacting him on his cellphone.

Lockett remained at large until Sunday afternoon, when Iowa City police got a Crimestoppers tip that Locket was at a residence on Haywood Drive.  They found him in the apartment of a woman who is the protected party in a no-contact order issued in July 2021.

Lockett was arrested and charged with Contempt for violating the no-contact order. He remains in the Johnson County Jail, with the Linn County Sheriff’s Department putting a retainer on him.  Because he violated his parole, he could be sentenced to up to ten years in prison on the burglary and sex offender violation charges.