Welsh man who escaped police custody released on bond

The man who escaped Welsh police custody last month is not a flight risk or a danger to the community, federal judge Michael Hill said in court today.

Hill released Damien Guidry from federal custody on a $45,000 bond today, but he's not back on the street yet. He has to head back to Welsh because of a pending warrant there.

Guidry was arrested by Welsh PD on June 19 on a federal warrant for felony in possession of a firearm. That's why he was in court today, to enter a plea of not guilty on that charge, and argue why he should be released from jail.

Federal prosecutors argued that Guidry has a history of flight from officers and not showing up for court, but the cases they reference have all been dismissed or Guidry was found not guilty, Guidry's attorney Alfred Boustany II argued.

He was on probation for five years, which ended in January, and the probation was never revoked, Boustany said. And, all the warrants for not showing up to court were thrown out after Guidry appeared in court and showed that the warrants were sent to wrong .

"I don't find him a flight risk. He's lived in Welsh all of his life," Hill said. "