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A maintenance worker at the Orleans Justice Center in New Orleans has been arrested for allegedly assisting in the escape of ten inmates.
Sterling Williams, 33, admitted to authorities that he turned off the water in a cell at the request of an inmate, which allowed the inmates to remove a toilet and access a hole behind it to escape. He has been charged with ten counts of principal to simple escape and malfeasance in office.
The escape occurred early last Friday morning and was not discovered until a routine headcount at 8:30 a.m., more than seven hours later. The inmates, some charged with violent crimes including murder, used blankets to scale a barbed wire fence and fled across a highway. Authorities have recaptured four of the escapees, while six remain at large.
The Orleans Parish Sheriff’s Office has suspended three employees pending the outcome of the investigation. Sheriff Susan Hutson indicated that internal complicity was suspected, noting that defective locks and staffing shortages have been ongoing issues at the facility.
Among the escapees is Derrick Groves, convicted of multiple murders, who authorities warn may attempt to locate witnesses from his trial. Law enforcement agencies, including the FBI and U.S. Marshals, are involved in the search, and rewards have been offered for information leading to the capture of the fugitives.
The incident has drawn criticism from officials, with Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry announcing executive orders to audit the facility and relocate state inmates. Attorney General Liz Murrill called the escape “beyond unacceptable” and emphasized the need for accountability.
BREAKOUT: U.S. inmates escape from prison center, on the run and at large
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