A Hawkins County jail escapee who was captured here earlier this year has been indicted by a federal grand jury in connection with a series of local robberies.

Travis Wayne Gunter, 26, whose address was listed as 215 Woodland Ave., Church Hill, when he was arrested by Greeneville police and Greene County sheriff's deputies on Feb. 5, was named in an eight-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury on March 10.

Gunter formerly lived in Greene County's Midway community.

Gunter is scheduled to make an initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Dennis Inman in U.S. District Court on March 26 on the charges specified in the indictment.

Gunter earlier had been charged in state court here with several counts of robbery in connection with a series of robberies dating back to last year.

The first count of the indictment returned by the federal grand jury on March 10 charges that he robbed the Quick Stop Market No. 10 at 301 Asheville Highway here on May 11, 2008;

The second count alleges that on Dec. 2, 2008, Gunter and co-defendant Kristen Lee Johnson aided each other in robbing the Stuckey's Market at Interstate 81's Exit 30 in northern Greene County.

The third count of the indictment alleges that Gunter and Johnson aided each other in robbing the Quick Stop Market No. 10 at 301 Asheville Highway on Dec. 26, 2008.

The fourth indictment count alleges that Gunter robbed the Roadrunner Market No. 119 at 300 Van Hill Road in Baileyton on Jan. 15, 2009.

Count five of the indictment alleges that on Jan. 16, 2009, Gunter robbed the Quick Stop Market No. 4, at 1801 West Main Street.

The sixth indictment count alleges that on Jan. 19, 2009, Gunter robbed the BP Kenjo Market on Silver Lake Road in Church Hill, Tenn.

The seventh indictment count alleges that on Jan. 18, 2009, Gunter robbed the Quick Stop Market No. 3 at 860 West Andrew Johnson Highway, Greeneville.

The eighth, and final, indictment count alleges that on Feb. 5, Gunter and co-defendant Kristen Lee Johnson aided each other in robbing the Quick Stop Market No. 16 at 1923 Snapps Ferry Road in Greeneville.

That robbery took place only hours after Gunter escaped from the Hawkins County Jail in Rogersville.

Gunter escaped from the Hawkins County Jail in Rogersville about 11:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 4, stole a pickup truck, drove it to Greeneville and committed the Snapps Ferry Road robbery, Greeneville Police Chief Terry Cannon said after Gunter was arrested here on Feb. 5.

The TBI's Web site said Gunter was wanted by the Hawkins County and Greene County sheriff's departments for escape, aggravated assault, criminal conspiracy and aggravated robbery of a business with a weapon.

Gunter was being held in the Hawkins County Jail on failure to appear, probation violation and armed robbery charges when he escaped late Wednesday.

"On Wednesday, at approximately 11:30 p.m., Travis Wayne Gunter reported a medical problem to correctional officers at the Hawkins County Jail," the TBI Web site says. "Gunter, along with another inmate, assaulted two correctional officers causing them serious injury."

During the escape, according to the TBI, Gunter chased one of the officers back toward the trustees' sleeping area (inside the Hawkins County Jail) and struck the officer in the head with a sock that was stuffed with an item causing serious injury to the officer's head.

The two officers were treated and released from area hospitals after the incident.

"Gunter then stood over the officer and stated (that he should) lay down or he would kill them," according to the TBI's Web site. "Gunter then fled the jail facility on foot and stole a vehicle. Gunter then robbed a store in Greeneville with a knife. The stolen vehicle has been recovered in Greene County," a report said.

A press release issued by Hawkins County Sheriff Roger Christian in February said that as a result of the assault on the two corrections officers and the escape, two other inmates were charged.

The release said Bradley Alan Bond, 23, who was being held for especially aggravated robbery, was captured shortly after he and Gunter escaped from the jail. Bond was charged with escape and ordered held without bond.

Another inmate, identified as Justin David Kelley, 20, was charged with criminal responsibility for the conduct of another.