Bibbs, 21, who has an arm tattoo that says “only the strong survive,” likely is in the Detroit area, the department said.
Warren County Chief Deputy Barry Riley said it was “a clean release” of Bibbs after Warren County authorities were through with him. Riley said the Michigan Corrections Department did not have a detainer/holder on file with Warren County Jail when it was time to release Bibbs.
Riley said Warren County deputies had a warrant from the county Prosecutor’s Office to convey Bibbs from a Michigan prison to Lebanon.
“We looked for him,” Riley said. “This is a common occurrence when an agency does not file a holder or a detainer on a prisoner. We try to check the boxes to prevent this from happening.
“Where the breakdown happened, we don’t know,” he said.
“A series of efforts were undertaken to locate Bibbs, including working with his family. The department is now seeking the public’s help in locating him,” the agency said.
Bibbs was a prison inmate in Michigan serving a minimum sentence of four years for a carjacking. He was in Ohio for an unrelated drunken driving and firearm case.
Reports indicate Bibbs was released on foot, and authorities began looking for him the same day of the release. The U.S. Marshals Service has been involved.
“Sometimes they just turn themselves in,” Michigan Corrections Department spokesman Chris Gautz said.
Anyone who spots Bibbs is asked to call 911.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.