Bounty hunters hired by a Greeneville bail bondsman returned an alleged fugitive to Northeast Tennessee on Wednesday night, but not before chasing him through a Georgia swamp.

Kerry Emmett, of Express Bail Bonds, said bounty hunters returned Sammy Shelton, 28, formerly of Oakland Park in Greeneville, to him on Wednesday night.

"He had fled house arrest in Washington County," Emmett said. "We had him out on bond on a misdemeanor charge."

Had Shelton not been returned to Washington County by June 1, Express Bail Bonds would have lost the money it had posted as an appearance bond for Shelton there, the bail bondsman said.

Emmett also said bounty hunters Mark and Josh Croy had gone to Hudson, Fla., earlier this week in search of Shelton, doing so at his request.

Shelton was wanted in Greene County on a violation of parole charge and also was wanted in Washington County for fleeing house arrest and failing to appear in court and theft.

Emmett said Shelton had been incarcerated in a Florida prison from May 2008 until January 2009.

"I found his address on the Florida Department of Corrections' Web site," Emmett said. "It turned out not to be exactly where he lived, but it was close."

Mark and Josh Croy located Shelton on Wednesday and took him into custody without incident, Emmett said.

But during the return trip, Emmett said, Shelton told the bounty hunters that he needed them to stop so he could use a restroom.

"About 80 miles south of Savannah, they stopped at a convenience store and uncuffed Shelton so he could use the restroom," Emmett said. "But he bolted out of the restroom, ran down the road and into a swamp."

Emmett said the bounty hunters entered the swamp and re-captured Shelton, who had become stuck in thick mud.

"They had mud on them from head to toe when they brought him back to me," Emmett said.

He said that he returned Shelton to the Washington County Detention Center on Wednesday night.