News Summary
In a shocking incident, a maintenance worker at the Orleans Parish Jail was arrested for facilitating the escape of ten inmates by disabling the water supply. Sterling Williams, 33, is charged with multiple felonies, including principal to simple escape. Security lapses at the facility allowed inmates to exploit faulty equipment, resulting in a chaotic jailbreak. Law enforcement has recaptured five escapees while searching for the others, raising serious concerns about jail security protocols. The Orleans Parish Sheriff acknowledged responsibility for the incident, leading to suspensions of staff members involved.
New Orleans – In a shocking incident, a maintenance worker at the Orleans Parish Jail has been arrested in connection with a daring escape that allowed ten inmates to break out of the facility. Sterling Williams, 33, has been charged and is being held on a bond of $1.1 million after admitting to disabling the water supply to allow inmates to execute their escape plan. Corey Boyd, 19, became the fifth escapee to be recaptured this past Tuesday evening.
The incident occurred early Friday morning when inmates took advantage of security failures within the jail. They managed to forcibly open a faulty cell door, remove a toilet, and escape through a hole cut into the wall. Graffiti found at the escape site, which read “To Easy LoL,” suggests that the act was perceived as an inside joke among those involved.
Williams’s role in the escape was critical; he confessed to turning off the water to a toilet that covered a hole in the wall. This act permitted the inmates to access the plumbing chase necessary for their escape. He now faces ten felony counts of principal to simple escape, as well as one count of malfeasance in office. Additionally, Williams claimed that he had been threatened by an inmate to facilitate the jailbreak and did not report this threat to authorities.
Five inmates, including Boyd, Kendell Myles, Robert Moody, and Dkenan Dennis, have since been recaptured. Boyd faces serious allegations, including a charge of second-degree murder resulting from a car break-in incident in April 2024, for which he has pleaded not guilty. The remaining escapees are believed to still be within city limits, prompting extensive searches by local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies. Over 200 personnel are actively involved in the pursuit, with rewards of up to $20,000 offered for information leading to their recapture.
The escape has raised serious concerns regarding security protocols at the Orleans Parish Jail, particularly given multiple lapses including malfunctioning cell locks and insufficient staffing. At the time of the escape, the only guard assigned to watch the inmates had left to procure food, leaving the inmates unsupervised. It took several hours for the absence of the escapees to be reported to law enforcement, indicating a significant failure in communication protocols.
In response to the escape, Orleans Parish Sheriff Susan Hutson has accepted full responsibility for the lapses and has mentioned “intentional wrongdoings” by certain staff members. Following the incident, at least three sheriff’s employees have been suspended amid ongoing investigations into their potential involvement in the jailbreak.
Authorities from the Louisiana Department of Public Safety and Corrections are conducting an external audit of the jail’s operations and security measures in light of the escape. District Attorney Jason Williams and members of his staff have expressed concerns for their safety due to the nature of crimes committed by some of the inmates involved, leading them to relocate temporarily for their own protection.
As the investigation continues, law enforcement has warned that anyone who assists the escapees might face charges. The situation remains fluid as officials work to ensure public safety and prevent any further incidents of this nature.
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Additional Resources
- WWLTV: New Orleans Jail Escape
- CNN: New Orleans Inmate Escape
- BBC: New Orleans Jail Escape
- Fox News: Jail Worker Arrested
- USA Today: New Orleans Jailbreak
- Wikipedia: New Orleans Jail
- Google Search: New Orleans Jail Escape
- Google Scholar: New Orleans Jail Security
- Encyclopedia Britannica: Jail
- Google News: New Orleans Jail Escape
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