A sex offender is back in custody Friday after he escaped from a treatment facility in St. Peter overnight.

The St. Peter Police Department says 45-year-old Beau-Jacob Edward Zimmer was taken into custody just after 7 a.m. Authorities say a citizen spotted Zimmer and notified police, who were notified of Zimmer’s escape around 1:30 a.m.

The Department of Human Services says Zimmer was a resident at the Community Preparation Services facility of St. Peter — an unlocked, less restrictive treatment setting. CPS is for those in the later stages of their treatment and have progressed enough that they can safely continue treatment outside the facility, DHS said.

According to St. Peter Police Chief Matt Grochow, Zimmer was armed with a knife at the time he was arrested Friday and had checked a knife out from the facility late Thursday evening. DHS added that residents are allowed to check out cooking knives and other utensils.

Grochow tells 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS Zimmer, who had cut off his GPS ankle bracelet, was spotted walking about three miles west of town on County Highway 5 by a passerby, who then notified police.

Chief Grochow says two of his officers arrested Zimmer, adding no one was injured when he was apprehended.

According to DHS, this incident marked the first time someone has tried to leave the facility since its opening in 2008.

MSOP Executive Director Nancy Johnson issued the following statement:

“Our monitoring system alerted us quickly and we took immediate action to protect the public. We notified local and state law enforcement agencies and worked closely with them.

Agents from our special investigations unit were also actively involved in the investigation, canvassing the campus, reviewing phone and video logs, and interviewing others who know the client. We’re grateful that the client was apprehended quickly.

This incident is a first for MSOP. Since CPS opened in 2008, no one has ever attempted to leave. As is our standard practice, we’ll be conducting a thorough internal review.”