Convicted rapist mistakenly released from prison

Georgia authorities are trying to find a convicted rapist who was mistakenly released from a state prison, officials said.

Tony Maycon Munoz-Mendez, 31, was convicted of rape and aggravated child molestation in Gwinnett County. He has been serving a life sentence since April 2015, according to records.

Munoz-Mendez was released at Rogers State Prison in Reidsville “in error” at around noon on Friday, said a Monday statement from the Georgia Department of Corrections.

It’s not clear when officials realized the mistake or how it occurred. The department is reviewing the circumstances, said spokesperson Lori Benoit.

The department’s fugitive unit and US Marshals are involved in the search, the statement said.