A parole violator captured Monday in Lawrence was at least the third nabbed in Douglas County with the assistance of a tipster since the state released a list of absconders in July.

Douglas County Sheriff Rick Trapp credited publication of the list with increasing the public’s willingness to call in reports of parole violators.

“That’s two or three more calls than we had before,” Trapp said of reports received since July 31, when the list was published in the Journal-World.

Monday’s arrest came after Lawrence Police, acting on an anonymous call, found Eric D. Mesler, 25, of Oskaloosa. He had been paroled after his conviction for involuntary manslaughter.

Mesler was apprehended near Fifth and Ohio streets.

The Kansas Department of Corrections’ list included names of hundreds of parolees being sought across the state. Such a list had never before been made public.

That all changed after the arrest of Damien C. Lewis, 22, a parole violator who was charged with capital murder in the July 10 deaths of Lawrence residents Pete Wallace and Wyona Chandlee, both 71. At the request of the Journal-World, the Department of Corrections made the list of wanted parolees available to Kansas newspapers and put a version online.

The Journal-World printed the list and posted it on its Web site. Other newspapers later followed.

The absconder arrested this week was convicted of involuntary manslaughter for the 1999 traffic accident death of Shawn M. Evans, 20. Evans was a passenger in Mesler’s truck when it overturned Nov. 29, 1999, on U.S. Highway 24 west of Perry.

Mesler

Mesler began his 14-month prison sentence May 23, 2001, corrections records show. He was released on parole May 3. On Oct. 8, the Corrections Department issued a warrant for his arrest because he had not reported to parole officers and his whereabouts were unknown, said Bill Miskell, spokesman for the department of corrections.

Lawrence Police Sgt. Mike Pattrick couldn’t say why someone decided to tip them about Mesler, who was being held Tuesday in Douglas County Jail.

“There was no mention to us about who the caller was,” Pattrick said. “Since we found him (Mesler), it didn’t matter who it was. If we had not found him, then we might have checked to see if we could make contact again with the caller.”

Barring a tip from the public, parole violators are located either by information passed on by the Department of Corrections or when officers make a routine check of a person during a traffic stop or similar encounter.

¢ 6News video report: Parole violater picked up after phone tip¢ Corrections officials release list of wanted parole violators (7-31-02)¢ Look up a parole violator

Though circulation of the names of violators has led to arrests in Douglas County, it was unclear whether the list has helped statewide.

The Department of Corrections was unable Tuesday to make available information about how many parole violators have been picked up over the past few months.

To use the Department of Corrections’ Web site at http://docnet.dc.state.ks.us/kasper/search.asp, users must enter the name of someone they suspect may be wanted. The Web site does not allow for scanning.