Ten inmates escaped from a New Orleans jail on Friday by breaching a wall behind a toilet, with authorities suspecting they received inside assistance. As of now, only three have been recaptured.
Orleans Parish Sheriff Susan Hutson stated, “We have indication that these detainees received assistance in their escape from individuals inside of our department.”
The inmates broke through a wall at the Orleans Justice Center around 1 a.m., exited through a supply door, scaled a wall, and crossed an interstate.
A photo from the sheriff’s office showed the words “To Easy LoL” and an arrow pointing to the hole in the wall.
The escape was not discovered until 8:30 a.m. during a routine head count. Officials cited defective cell locks as a contributing factor, noting, “There are deficiencies in these facilities that cause public safety concerns.”
Three jail employees have been suspended without pay pending an internal investigation.
The escaped inmates were identified as Corey Boyd, Dkenan Dennis, Jermaine Donald, Derrick Groves, Antoine Massey, Robert Moody, Kendell Myles, Gary Price, Leo Tate, and Lenton Vanburen, ranging in age from 19 to 42.
They face various charges, including murder, aggravated assault, armed robbery, and domestic abuse.
Initially, authorities reported 11 escapees, but later corrected the count to 10 due to an error in the system.
Three of the escapees were found in different parts of the city, and investigators are pursuing “active leads” on the others. They will be relocated to Louisiana state prisons upon recapture.
Kendell Myles was captured after being found hiding under a car in a hotel parking garage.3 Robert Moody was apprehended following a Crime Stoppers tip. Dkenan Dennis was also taken into custody.
Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry posted on social media, “You can run, but you CANNOT HIDE. We will hunt each of you down.”
Sheriff Hutson acknowledged, “We do acknowledge there is no way people can get out of this facility without there being some type of lapse in security. It’s almost impossible…for anybody to get out of this facility without help from the outside.”
Investigators are reviewing phone calls, messages, and conducting interviews. Over 200 law enforcement personnel are involved in the search.
The FBI’s New Orleans field office is offering up to $5,000 for tips, and Crime Stoppers is offering an additional $2,000 per apprehension.
Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill called for an investigation and prosecution of those involved, contacting attorneys general in neighboring states due to the possibility of the escapees crossing state lines. She criticized the delayed public notification, stating, “The first priority in any escape must be the immediate capture of the inmates and coordination with state and local law enforcement — but that effort cannot come at the expense of timely notification to the public, which is also critical to keeping communities safe. Someone clearly dropped the ball and there’s no excuse for this.”
Orleans Parish District Attorney Jason Williams called the escape “a complete failure,” stating, “I have never heard of a prison break or a jailbreak involving this many people in my 52 years.”
The sheriff’s office urged the public to remain vigilant, considering the escapees armed and dangerous, and to report any sightings to Crime Stoppers or 911 immediately.
They affirmed that “The remaining individuals are still being actively pursued, and our deputies, in collaboration with local and state law enforcement, are working tirelessly to locate and return them to custody.”
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