A Blacksburg man serving time in a medium security prison for drug violations now faces the possibility of up to 15 years imprisonment in a more secure setting after walking away from a prison farm Wednesday evening.

Tracy Cobb, 38, address listed in a recent court record as Ninety Nine Island Road, was sentenced to three years imprisonment March 17 after pleading guilty in Cherokee County General Sessions Court to multiple drug offenses related to his Nov. 21, 2008 arrest by an agent from the Cherokee County Sheriff's Office Narcotics Unit.

Court records show he pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, and separate counts of possession of the prescription drugs Lortab, Diazepam, Klonopin, and Xanax. He received credit for 116 days time served at the time he was sentenced by Circuit Court Judge Mark Hayes.

According to the state Department of Corrections, Cobb walked away from his work assignment on a farm outside the Wateree River Correctional Institution in Rembert and was confirmed missing at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday.

Cobb is described as 5-feet, 8-inches tall and weighing 160 pounds. He has brown hair and brown eyes. Tattoos include the name "Christie" on his neck; "In memory of James Cobb" on his left shoulder and "Tracy" on his right shoulder.

He was last seen wearing a tan jumpsuit stenciled with SCDC.

The DOC asks that anyone with information about Cobb contact the Fugitive Apprehension Unit at (877) 349-2130; SLED at (803) 737-9000; or local law enforcement.

DOC Spokesman Josh Gelinas said a pending escape charge against Cobb is a felony punishable by an additional one to 15 years of imprisonment.

The Wateree River prison is located on a 7,000-acre farm that provides milk, corn and other agricultural supplies to the correctional system, according to Gelinas. Cobb was housed at Wateree and was assigned to the farm's tractor detail.