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A Louisiana sheriff has been indicted in connection with a jailbreak that left 10 inmates on the run last year. Orleans Parish Sheriff Susan Hutson was charged in a 30-count indictment brought forth by Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill. Hutson is facing malfeasance in office, conspiracy to commit malfeasance in office, filing or maintaining false public records, conspiracy to commit filing or maintaining false public records, obstruction of justice, and conspiracy to commit obstruction of justice. Her bond has been set at $300,000.The sheriff’s chief financial officer, Bianka Brown, was also indicted on 20 counts. She’s facing malfeasance in office, conspiracy to commit malfeasance in office, filing or maintaining false public records, conspiracy to commit filing or maintaining false public records, obstruction of justice, and conspiracy to commit obstruction of justice. Both have to surrender their passports and cannot leave Louisiana. Hutson and Brown are due in court Thursday morning for a status hearing in the case. This comes after Murrill probed the jailbreak for nearly a year after dangerous inmates, including some who faced murder charges, were on the run after breaking out of the jail behind a toilet. Hutson has maintained that the jailbreak was an inside job, at one point during her re-election campaign, referring to it as “the great let out.”The 10 inmates who escaped are facing simple escape charges and eight are expected to go to trial in September. Two are undergoing treatment for competency ahead of trial. The indictment comes just one day after Hutson held her farewell speech. She will remain in office until Monday, when her successor, Michelle Woodfork, takes the oath of office. Murrill issued the following statement regarding the indictment: “Nearly a year ago, I made a commitment to the people of New Orleans and the people of our state that those responsible for the Orleans Parish Prison break would be held accountable. Since that day, through the hard work of my office, along with the Louisiana State Police and our many federal, state, and local law enforcement partners, every escapee is behind bars, and others who facilitated and enabled the escape are currently being prosecuted.”While Sheriff Hutson did not personally open the doors of the jail for the escapees, her refusal to comply with basic legal requirements and to take even minimal precautions in the discharge of her duties directly contributed to and enabled the escape. As my prosecutors move forward with this case, I continue to have productive conversations with Sheriff-elect Michelle Woodfork on how to improve operations, secure the facility, and build in basic financial oversight that complies with state law. I am confident in her commitment to implement the difficult changes needed to reform the jail.”How they escaped:According to the Orleans Parish Sheriff’s Office, jail officials discovered the inmates were missing during a routine head count at 8:30 a.m. on May 16.The inmates dug a hole inside the jail behind a toilet to make their escape.According to Hutson, the escape by the inmates was an inside job, and three employees were suspended, and one maintenance worker was arrested in connection with the investigation.According to Hutson, around 12:23 a.m., the inmates began tampering with a locked cell and were able to break in. That cell was where the hole was cut behind a toilet.According to Hutson, a correctional monitoring technician in the control module was present. This person is considered a civilian employee.The inmates were able to escape the jail through a door at 1:01 a.m.Video surveillance confirms that they exited through a door in the docks where supplies are brought into the jail, according to Hutson.The United States Marshals Service, Louisiana State Police, and Probation and Parole were notified by 9:30 a.m., and the New Orleans Police Department was alerted immediately afterward through the Fusion Center, according to Hutson.The person who was in the center monitoring the pod from which the inmates escaped was a civilian employee. The employee stepped away to get food when the inmates broke into the cell they escaped from, according to the sheriff’s office.An investigation into the jailbreak is ongoing.Timeline of the inmates’ capture:Kendell Myles:Kendell Myles was arrested by state police near the New Orleans French Quarter on the day of the jailbreak on May 16.Myles escaped from the Bridge City Center for Youth and is accused of robbing and carjacking Scott Toups, 59, in Uptown New Orleans in July 2022.Myles was indicted on attempted murder and carjacking charges in the case.Myles is accused of shooting the victim twice and then taking his car.Robert Moody:Robert Moody was also captured on May 16.Moody was in jail for weapons and drug charges.DKenan Dennis:DKenan Dennis was captured on May 16.Dennis faces multiple illegal weapons charges, extortion, kidnapping, armed robbery, and theft charges.Gary Price:Gary Price was arrested on May 20 in New Orleans East.He was jailed on charges of aggravated battery, aggravated assault with a firearm, and false imprisonment with a weapon.Corey Boyd:Corey Boyd was arrested on May 21 at an apartment in Treme, Louisiana.Sister station WDSU obtained exclusive video from the moment he was arrested.Boyd was originally charged with second-degree murder, attempted second-degree murder, aggravated battery, and threatening a public official.Lenton VanBuren:Lenton VanBuren was captured in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, on May 26.VanBuren was originally facing charges of illegal carrying of weapons, possession of a firearm or weapon by a felon, obstruction of justice and introducing contraband into a prison.Leo Tate and Jermaine Donald:Jermaine Donald and Leo Tate were arrested in Texas on May 26.Police say Tate and Donald led law enforcement officers from several agencies on a high-speed chase through the area.Tate was facing charges of second-degree murder, attempted second-degree murder, obstruction of justice, simple burglary of a dwelling, possession of a firearm or weapon by a felon and illegal carrying of a weapon.Donald was jailed on illegal weapons charges.Antoine Massey:Massey was the ninth inmate captured after the jailbreak.He turned himself in after he was surrounded at a home in Hollygrove in New Orleans on June 27.Massey has a criminal background and escape history that dates back to 2007.He escaped a juvenile detention center that is now known as the Juvenile Justice Intervention Center.In 2019, he escaped the Morehouse Parish Detention Center and was found the same day in Texas.Massey was being held on domestic abuse charges in St. Tammany before going to the Orleans Justice Center, where he was being held on domestic abuse and car theft charges when he escaped in mid-May.Related coverage:
A Louisiana sheriff has been indicted in connection with a jailbreak that left 10 inmates on the run last year.
Orleans Parish Sheriff Susan Hutson was charged in a 30-count indictment brought forth by Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill.
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Hutson is facing malfeasance in office, conspiracy to commit malfeasance in office, filing or maintaining false public records, conspiracy to commit filing or maintaining false public records, obstruction of justice, and conspiracy to commit obstruction of justice.
Her bond has been set at $300,000.
The sheriff’s chief financial officer, Bianka Brown, was also indicted on 20 counts. She’s facing malfeasance in office, conspiracy to commit malfeasance in office, filing or maintaining false public records, conspiracy to commit filing or maintaining false public records, obstruction of justice, and conspiracy to commit obstruction of justice.
Both have to surrender their passports and cannot leave Louisiana.
Hutson and Brown are due in court Thursday morning for a status hearing in the case.
This comes after Murrill probed the jailbreak for nearly a year after dangerous inmates, including some who faced murder charges, were on the run after breaking out of the jail behind a toilet.
Hutson has maintained that the jailbreak was an inside job, at one point during her re-election campaign, referring to it as “the great let out.”
The 10 inmates who escaped are facing simple escape charges and eight are expected to go to trial in September.
Two are undergoing treatment for competency ahead of trial.
The indictment comes just one day after Hutson held her farewell speech.
She will remain in office until Monday, when her successor, Michelle Woodfork, takes the oath of office.
Murrill issued the following statement regarding the indictment:
“Nearly a year ago, I made a commitment to the people of New Orleans and the people of our state that those responsible for the Orleans Parish Prison break would be held accountable. Since that day, through the hard work of my office, along with the Louisiana State Police and our many federal, state, and local law enforcement partners, every escapee is behind bars, and others who facilitated and enabled the escape are currently being prosecuted.
“While Sheriff Hutson did not personally open the doors of the jail for the escapees, her refusal to comply with basic legal requirements and to take even minimal precautions in the discharge of her duties directly contributed to and enabled the escape. As my prosecutors move forward with this case, I continue to have productive conversations with Sheriff-elect Michelle Woodfork on how to improve operations, secure the facility, and build in basic financial oversight that complies with state law. I am confident in her commitment to implement the difficult changes needed to reform the jail.”
How they escaped:
According to the Orleans Parish Sheriff’s Office, jail officials discovered the inmates were missing during a routine head count at 8:30 a.m. on May 16.
The inmates dug a hole inside the jail behind a toilet to make their escape.
According to Hutson, the escape by the inmates was an inside job, and three employees were suspended, and one maintenance worker was arrested in connection with the investigation.
According to Hutson, around 12:23 a.m., the inmates began tampering with a locked cell and were able to break in. That cell was where the hole was cut behind a toilet.
According to Hutson, a correctional monitoring technician in the control module was present. This person is considered a civilian employee.
The inmates were able to escape the jail through a door at 1:01 a.m.
Video surveillance confirms that they exited through a door in the docks where supplies are brought into the jail, according to Hutson.
The United States Marshals Service, Louisiana State Police, and Probation and Parole were notified by 9:30 a.m., and the New Orleans Police Department was alerted immediately afterward through the Fusion Center, according to Hutson.
The person who was in the center monitoring the pod from which the inmates escaped was a civilian employee. The employee stepped away to get food when the inmates broke into the cell they escaped from, according to the sheriff’s office.
An investigation into the jailbreak is ongoing.
Timeline of the inmates’ capture:
Kendell Myles:
Kendell Myles was arrested by state police near the New Orleans French Quarter on the day of the jailbreak on May 16.
Myles escaped from the Bridge City Center for Youth and is accused of robbing and carjacking Scott Toups, 59, in Uptown New Orleans in July 2022.
Myles was indicted on attempted murder and carjacking charges in the case.
Myles is accused of shooting the victim twice and then taking his car.
Robert Moody:
Robert Moody was also captured on May 16.
Moody was in jail for weapons and drug charges.
DKenan Dennis:
DKenan Dennis was captured on May 16.
Dennis faces multiple illegal weapons charges, extortion, kidnapping, armed robbery, and theft charges.
Gary Price:
Gary Price was arrested on May 20 in New Orleans East.
He was jailed on charges of aggravated battery, aggravated assault with a firearm, and false imprisonment with a weapon.
Corey Boyd:
Corey Boyd was arrested on May 21 at an apartment in Treme, Louisiana.
Sister station WDSU obtained exclusive video from the moment he was arrested.
Boyd was originally charged with second-degree murder, attempted second-degree murder, aggravated battery, and threatening a public official.
Lenton VanBuren:
Lenton VanBuren was captured in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, on May 26.
VanBuren was originally facing charges of illegal carrying of weapons, possession of a firearm or weapon by a felon, obstruction of justice and introducing contraband into a prison.
Leo Tate and Jermaine Donald:
Jermaine Donald and Leo Tate were arrested in Texas on May 26.
Police say Tate and Donald led law enforcement officers from several agencies on a high-speed chase through the area.
Tate was facing charges of second-degree murder, attempted second-degree murder, obstruction of justice, simple burglary of a dwelling, possession of a firearm or weapon by a felon and illegal carrying of a weapon.
Donald was jailed on illegal weapons charges.
Antoine Massey:
Massey was the ninth inmate captured after the jailbreak.
He turned himself in after he was surrounded at a home in Hollygrove in New Orleans on June 27.
Massey has a criminal background and escape history that dates back to 2007.
He escaped a juvenile detention center that is now known as the Juvenile Justice Intervention Center.
In 2019, he escaped the Morehouse Parish Detention Center and was found the same day in Texas.
Massey was being held on domestic abuse charges in St. Tammany before going to the Orleans Justice Center, where he was being held on domestic abuse and car theft charges when he escaped in mid-May.
