New Orleans Jail Employee Arrested for Aiding Inmate Escape

Inmate Escape from Orleans Parish Jail

• 🔓 Authorities report that 10 inmates escaped from the Orleans Parish jail shortly after midnight on Friday.
• ⚠️ The inmates, some with murder backgrounds, are considered dangerous and potentially armed.
• 🧱 The escapees crawled through a hole behind a toilet in a cell after breaking defective locks.
• ⏰ Jail officials were unaware of the escape for at least 7 hours.

Suspected Inside Job and Facilitation

• 🤝 Sterling Williams, a jail employee, was arrested and accused of helping the inmates escape.
• 💧 Williams allegedly turned off the water, which may have aided the escape.
• 🕵️ Authorities suspect the escape was an inside job, with assistance from jail staff and potentially friends and family harboring the fugitives.

Fugitive Apprehension and Ongoing Concerns

• 📸 Surveillance footage, including from Bourbon Street, was used with facial recognition technology to help identify and track escapees.
• 🚨 One suspect, Gary Price, was arrested by a SWAT team at a residence.
• 📍 Police believe some fugitive inmates are still hiding within the city.
• ⚖️ The district attorney expressed concern for the safety of witnesses and lawyers connected to the inmates' cases, with some prosecutors leaving town due to fear of retaliation.