Colorado man returns to prison after being released 90 years early

AURORA, Colo. – A Colorado man who was released from prison 90 years early due to a clerical error has returned to serve the rest of his sentence.

Rene Lima-Marin was free for nearly six years due to the mistake. He had a child, married his former girlfriend and held a job.

But a prosecutor noticed the mistake in January, and a judge immediately ordered Lima-Marin back to prison.

A judge in 2000 sentenced Lima-Marin to serve back-to-back sentences on eight convictions, for a total of 98 years.

But a court clerk mistakenly wrote in his file that the sentences were to run at the same time. Corrections officials depend on that file to know how long an inmate should serve.

The case draws more attention to how clerical errors have let criminals evade prison time.