HAMMOND | An Illinois man nicknamed "Low Key" was charged in federal court Friday with escaping from the Lake County lockup by fooling his jailors into believing he was a different inmate with the same last name.

William Smith, 33, of Park Forest, Ill., escaped from the Lake County Jail on Wednesday after his arrest in a sweeping heroin bust unveiled in Porter County earlier last week, authorities said.

On Monday, the regional manhunt for Smith continued.

Government officials said they were scrambling last week to protect potential witnesses in the heroin case after Smith was discovered to have escaped.

Lake County Sheriff Rogelio "Roy" Dominguez vowed to determine if any officers made a mistake that led to the release of Smith, who was being held in county lockup after his federal arrest.

The affidavit filed with the escape charges alleges that Smith told the jail staff he was an inmate named Kevin Smith and even signed Kevin Smith's bond paperwork, accepting the other man's clothing and cell phone before his release.

"Correctional officers from the Lake County Jail had called for Kevin Smith," the affidavit says. "At that time, (William) Smith stood up and announced himself as Kevin Smith."

Kevin Smith, 40, of Chicago, had been ordered released on a criminal confinement charge. The error was discovered when Kevin Smith reported to corrections officers that his personal property had been given to an escapee.

William Smith and 11 other people were picked up last week on charges they transported heroin from Chicago Heights and Park Forest to Porter County for sale.