Inmate Escapes from Bismarck Prison

Authorities say 38-year-old Roman James Poitra was scheduled for release in January of 2028.

BISMARCK, N.D. (KVRR) – Authorities are searching for a fugitive who walked away from a minimum-security correctional facility and may be headed towards the Devils Lake area.

According to the North Dakota Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, 38-year-old Roman James Poitra walked away from the Missouri River Correctional Center just after 11 A.M. on November 8. Missouri River is an unfenced facility that holds inmates with minimal custody requirements. Poitra had been serving time for possession of certain prohibited materials in Cass County and failure to register.

Poitra is Native American. He stands 5 feet 11 inches tall and weighs 260 pounds, and has brown eyes, shoulder-length dark hair and glasses.

Anyone with information about Poitra’s whereabouts should contact local law enforcement or the North Dakota Highway Patrol at 701-328-9921.