MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, Fla. — Deputies asked the public for help with finding an “armed and dangerous” fugitive convicted of federal charges related to two murders and one attempted murder to steal illegal drugs in Opa-locka.

Last year, James “45″ Daniels was convicted of conspiracy to commit kidnapping resulting in death, two counts of kidnapping resulting in death, and kidnapping before U.S. District Court Judge Roy K. Altman.

“Sometime this weekend, MDSO was informed that he should NOT have been released from jail, and we are now assisting the U.S. Marshals and the FBI in locating him,” Detective Luis Sierra wrote in a statement on Monday afternoon.

Juan Diasgranados, a spokesman for the Miami-Dade Corrections and Rehabilitation Department, released a statement reporting Daniels was released on Saturday from the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center “due to a procedural error” and there was an ongoing internal affairs investigation.

“The top priority of MDCR is to ensure his swift apprehension and safe return to custody. All available resources are being utilized, including the assistance of our local and federal law enforcement partners,” Diasgranados wrote in the statement.

Daniels, 60, was part of the group who kidnapped Johan Gonzalez, Osmar Oliva, and a survivor at a truck yard on Dec. 5, 2020, east of the Miami-Opa-locka Executive Airport, according to deputies.

Daniels “bound and tortured” the victims, “duct-taped their eyes, and threw them into the back of a rented van after stealing” drugs from them, and took them to an abandoned house to execute them at 1801 Rutland St., in Opa-locka, according to federal prosecutors and deputies.

“Two of the victims died, while one miraculously survived,” a federal prosecutor wrote in a statement, adding that Daniels also “stole jewelry from one of the murdered victims.”

DEA Miami and FBI Miami special agents, Miami-Dade County Sheriff’s Office deputies, and Opa-locka police officers worked on the case. Federal prosecutors announced that Altman sentenced Daniels to life in prison in March.

Deputies asked anyone with information about Daniels whereabouts to call M-DCSO Homicide Detective C. Santos at 305-471-2400 or Miami-Dade County Crime Stoppers at 305-471-8477 to remain anonymous. There was a $5,000 reward.

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Andrea Torres