Miami-Dade inmate back in custody after being released by error

Eduardo Orama Cabana logged on for virtual Miami-Dade court hearing the day before being taken back into custody

MIAMI – A fugitive who corrections officers erroneously released on Monday from the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center in Miami-Dade County was taken back into custody Friday morning, authorities confirmed.

Eduardo Orama Cabana was mistakenly freed on his 52nd birthday, but he logged on to Zoom for a virtual court hearing on Thursday.

During the hearing, Assistant Miami-Dade Public Defender Fadya Salem said he had been reunited with his Chihuahua and he needed more time to make arrangements to turn himself in. He had logged on with his dog, but by the time his case came up, he had logged off.

Miami-Dade court records show some cases list his last name as Orama and others as Cavana. The online record showed the obstruction by a disguised person case, which listed his last name as Cavana, closed on Monday and was dismissed.

Juan Diasgranados, a spokesman for the Miami-Dade Corrections & Rehabilitation Department, said Orama was a minimum custody level inmate held on charges of probation violation, obstruction by a disguised person, shooting or throwing a deadly missile and criminal mischief.

“As soon as the error was discovered, the MDCR requested the assistance of our law enforcement partners to assist in locating the offender,” Diasgranados said.

According to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, Cavana is a habitual violent felony offender. His Orama record in Miami-Dade shows a series of cases from the 80s, including cocaine and marijuana-related charges.

The Miami-Dade record listing Orama as his last name showed he was convicted of throwing a deadly missile in 2010 and sentenced to five years in prison. The case closed in 2012.

During the hearing on Thursday, Miami-Dade Circuit Judge Marlene Fernandez-Karavetsos said Orama Cabana was sentenced on Monday to six years in prison after a probation violation related to the 2010 case. He has already served five years.

Miami-Dade Corrections Division Chief Enrique Rodriguez told the judge Orama Cabana had promised to surrender and failed to do so. Fernandez-Karavetsos then issued an arrest warrant.

This story was first reported by the Miami Herald and the video in this story was courtesy of the Miami Herald.


About the Authors:

Glenna Milberg joined Local 10 News in September 1999 to report on South Florida's top stories and community issues. She also serves as co-host on Local 10's public affairs broadcast, "This Week in South Florida."

The Emmy Award-winning journalist joined the Local 10 News team in 2013. She wrote for the Miami Herald for more than 9 years and won a Green Eyeshade Award.