Jessica Stephenson was released from the Shawnee County Jail in the morning. By lunchtime, she was back in handcuffs.
By Mack Callahan | This Is Topeka
Some people have a rewards card for their favorite coffee shop.
Others apparently have one for the Shawnee County Jail.
In what has to be one of the shortest “freedom tours” of the year, 30-year-old Jessica Michelle Stephenson was booked into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections just after midnight Monday, released at 10:32 a.m., and then found herself right back in custody less than two hours later.
Her first booking, at 12:25 a.m. on July 20, included charges of:
- Disorderly Conduct – Using Offensive, Obscene or Abusive Language
- Disobeying a Lawful Police Order
She was released on an own recognizance (OR) bond with a court date scheduled for August 20.
Apparently, things didn’t settle down after that.
According to jail records, Stephenson was booked again at 12:10 p.m. the very same day—just 98 minutes after walking out of jail.
This time, the allegations were considerably more serious:
- Assault of a Law Enforcement Officer
- Interference with Law Enforcement by Intending to Obstruct the Execution of Official Duty
Unlike the first arrest, the second booking lists a $1,000 bond on each charge and includes a no-bond hold for positive identification.
To be clear, an arrest is not a conviction, and the allegations have yet to be proven in court.
Still, the sequence is remarkable.
Released at 10:32 a.m.
Back in custody by 12:10 p.m.
Some people spend their lunch break grabbing tacos.
Others spend it completing a second booking photo.
As always, This Is Topeka will continue following the case as it moves through the Shawnee County court system.
