NEW ORLEANS (AP) — A maintenance worker at a New Orleans prison has been arrested and is currently held on a $1.1 million bond after he allegedly disabled water flow to toilets that concealed a hole in the cell wall. He admitted that up to 10 inmates could have escaped through this gap, marking one of the largest jailbreaks in recent U.S. history.
The inmates executed a daring escape early Friday morning, using a broken cell door to move the toilet and slide through the opening. Graffiti nearby read “easy lol,” with an arrow pointing to the hole.
On Tuesday evening, state police confirmed that Corey Boyd, 19, was the fifth escapee to be apprehended.
Boyd is charged with murdering an individual who spotted him and others attempting to break into a vehicle in April 2024. According to reports, another person had struck the victim with a vehicle before he was shot. He has pleaded not guilty to the second-degree murder charges.
Authorities are noting several security failures during the escape, including faulty cell locks and the fact that inmates were left unattended while the only guards on duty went to fetch food. This negligence meant that inmates charged with serious offenses like murder went undiscovered for hours.
During a tense New Orleans City Council meeting on Tuesday, Orleans Parish Sheriff Susan Hutson, who oversees the prison, stated she would take “full accountability.”
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Associated Press correspondent Haya Panjwani reports on an individual charged in connection with a prison break in New Orleans.
“We’ve overlooked procedural requirements and notifications, but there were also deliberate acts of misconduct. This was a coordinated effort involving individuals within our own agency who chose to violate the law,” Hutson said. “We are continuing to pursue all parties implicated.”
In response to a query from MP Oliver Thomas, Hutson noted that, operating at only 60% staffing capacity, the prison cannot guarantee that inmates will not be left unattended again.
Hutson later announced she is suspending her re-election campaign, stating in a social media post that “public trust and commitment to security, accountability, and public safety must take precedence over politics.”
Hutson has served as sheriff since May 2022 and faces several challengers in the upcoming elections.
The arrested staff discusses his involvement in the escape
The inmates escaped by removing the sink-toilet combo unit from their cell and cutting through a steel bar behind the sink, Hutson stated. After bending the bar, they were able to slip through. The reason for their actions remains unclear.
Authorities suspect that sheriff’s employees assisted in this escape, and three staff members have already been suspended. On Tuesday, the first staff member was arrested.
Sterling Williams, a 33-year-old maintenance worker, claimed that one of the escapees instructed him to shut off the water in their cells, according to a statement from the Louisiana Attorney General’s Office.
Williams faces charges including 10 counts related to simple escape, alongside one count of misconduct, with a bond set at $100,000 for each charge.
Williams’ appointed attorney, Michael Kennedy, stated his intention to plead not guilty.
Members of Williams’ family have not responded to requests for comments.
Motivations Behind His Actions
The arrest affidavit indicates that Williams faced a threat of being “shanked” if he failed to turn off the water. Another escapee allegedly took Williams’ phone and tried to convince him to bring a book containing information for a cash app.
Attorney General Liz Maril remarked that Williams “made some poor choices,” and that the threat associated with the escape plan should have raised alarms.
Thomas stated that it is the sheriff’s office’s duty to protect employees and foster a safe environment for reporting threats and concerns.
“Inmates should not be in positions to control the facility,” Thomas asserted. “We cannot allow them to intimidate the staff members.”
Without his assistance, Williams’ actions could have been viewed as “deliberately and maliciously” aiding in the escape, as the inmates might have flooded their cells to draw attention.
Murril informed reporters that no further charges have been filed against other employees yet, but the investigation is ongoing and “it is possible that additional arrests may occur.”
Ongoing Concerns About Security
Authorities have previously cited various security lapses before, during, and after the jailbreak.
New Orleans officials criticized the sheriff’s office for delays in reporting the escape.
As per Jeworski “Jay” Mallett, the prison’s amendment officer, the head count typically begins around 6:30 AM and should be completed in under an hour, yet city and state police were only informed around 10:30 AM—more than nine hours after the escape occurred.
Local police, who have the resources to “exponentially expand” efforts to track down escapees, should have been alerted immediately, according to Councillor JP Morrell.
“There have indeed been failures; our staff has failed,” Hutson commented.
Many state and local officials believe that the responsibility lies squarely with Hutson.
Still at Large
Five fugitives remain at large. Many of these individuals were in custody awaiting trial or sentencing on serious charges, including murder.
“We have witnesses and victims, and their situations are quite pressing,” Maryle stated.
Christian Padilla, 30, a resident near where Boyd was apprehended, expressed relief at the news. “That’s one less concern on the streets,” he mentioned.
The sheriff’s office reported that over 200 law enforcement agencies participated in the search for the fugitives, with rewards of up to $20,000 offered for information leading to their capture.
Antoine Massey, identified as the individual who threatened Williams, is among those still at large. According to the Morehouse Parish Sheriff’s Office, Massey escaped a prison in northeastern Louisiana in 2019 and was recaptured approximately 300 miles away on the same day.
“He cut a section of the chain-link fence from the exercise yard that was large enough to crawl through,” added Morehouse Parish Sheriff Chief James Mardis, noting that an accomplice was awaiting him in a vehicle.
New Orleans Police Chief Anne Kirkpatrick commented that it is believed that most of the fugitives remain within city limits. Authorities have warned that anyone assisting them will face charges.
In the meantime, around 60 inmates have been transferred to safer state facilities.
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Klein reported from Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
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This story was revised to accurately identify the chief of the prison corrections.
Source: apnews.com