Three inmates from New Orleans’ Orleans Justice Center, involved in a significant jailbreak, have been apprehended, while two remain at large. Jermaine Donald, 42, arrested for second-degree murder, and Leo Tate, 31, facing burglary and firearms charges, were taken into custody in Texas after their escape on May 16. The Texas Department of Public Safety apprehended them in Walker County, near Houston. Meanwhile, Lenton Vanburen, 26, also connected to the jailbreak and charged with firearms offenses and parole violations, was captured in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
Authorities announced that these inmates would face additional charges due to their escape. It remains unclear if they have legal representation. The escape involved alleged assistance from a jail maintenance worker, Sterling Williams, who has been charged with facilitating the inmates’ getaway by disabling the water supply to a toilet. This enabled the inmates to remove the toilet without flooding the cell. Williams claimed he was threatened by one of the inmates, Antoine Massey, who remains unapprehended.
The inmates sawed through steel bars and escaped through a hole in the wall, later scaling a barbed-wire fence using blankets. Evidence from the escape site included graffiti reading, “To Easy Lol” and “We Innocent” above the toilet. Authorities continue to search for Massey and investigate the circumstances surrounding the dramatic escape. The incident has raised concerns about the prison’s security and operational integrity.
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