A gun engraved with the name of former Gov. Kirk Fordice will be returned to his family after police in Jackson found it during a drug raid in late July, and the man accused of stealing it nearly three years ago is a recent escapee from the Hinds County Detention Center.

The gun — a .40-caliber Glock pistol engraved with the state seal and Fordice’s name — was stolen during an auto burglary in Vicksburg in November 2012, Vicksburg police Capt. Sandra Williams said.

“Some yahoo broke into my vehicle, tore it up and stole my dad’s gun out of the truck,” said Dan Fordice, son of the late governor.

During the break-in, the burglar made a careless mistake.

“The suspect was apparently cut, and there was forensic evidence left in the vehicle,” Williams said.

DNA evidence led police to John Rollins, 23, who escaped July 13 along with three other inmates from the Hinds County Dentation Center in Raymond before being recaptured north of Vicksburg.

“We do have a warrant for John Rollins for the burglary,” Williams said.

Rollins was held without bail Thursday in the detention center from which he escaped last month. In addition to the burglary, he is charged with a number of felonies related to the escape and possession of stolen property.

Two inmates were captured within 24 hours of the escape, but Rollins and Montreal Damon Anderson, 25, remained on the lam until July 17.

Authorities said the two men stole a truck in Clinton before leading a high-speed chase to Vicksburg. The chase ended when the stolen truck was wrecked at Oak Ridge Road and U.S. 61 North. Mississippi Highway Safety Patrol trooper Kervin Stewart arrested Anderson, and deputies arrested Rollins after he was bitten by a police dog while trying to hide in an abandoned building.

The former governor’s gun was still in Jackson Thursday.

Recovery of the gun hit a snag because Vicksburg police were not able to list the weapon as stolen in the National Crime Information Center Database because no serial number was available.

“We have been in communication with JPD and they are aware of the situation,” Williams said.

In addition to Fordice’s gun, an M4 assault rifle, a stolen .308-caliber rifle, several rounds of ammunition, scales, about two pounds of marijuana, Ecstasy and more than $3,000 in cash were seized July 31 at a southwest Jackson home.

Jackson police said the raid is part of an ongoing investigation into drug trafficking.

Detectives arrested 39-year-old Delvin Lackey and 34-year-old Kimberly Madison. Madison is charged with possession of marijuana with the intent to distribute. Lackey is facing drug and gun charges. It is unclear how they came to possess Fordice’s gun.