A maintenance worker in the New Orleans prison where 10 prisoners escaped had been arrested and accused of helping to facilitate escape, officials said Tuesday.
Sterling Williams, a 33 -year -old maintenance worker at the Orleans Parish Justice Center, was arrested and imprisoned on Tuesday morning, according to Attorney General Louisiana Liz Murrill.
Williams allegedly closed the water to the toilet to help clean the road for prisoners to escape, said the source. The prisoners, including four who were charged with second -level murder and remained in escape, could come out after tearing the toilet from their hinges.
Williams faced 10 principals’ charges to escape simple and one accusation of irregularities in the office. Williams was originally ordered to the Orleans Parish Prison before being transferred to different facilities, said Murrill.
Three other prison employees have been suspended in this investigation.
Murrill accused in a statement that Williams admitted to the agents he was involved in helping to facilitate the escape. Murrill said Williams allegedly claimed one of the escapes advised him to turn off the water in the cell where the inmates fled.
“Instead of reporting inmates, Williams turned off the water according to the instructions, allowing prisoners to carry out their scheme to successfully escape,” said Murrill’s statement.
In an interview with ABC News on Tuesday morning, the Orleans Parish Attorney Jason Williams, whose office was investigating the escape, said the mass escape was clearly a job inside.
“Ten violence violence did not enter the POD made for two people and made their escape well through concrete, reproduction and barbed wire, without any kind of assistance inside,” Williams said.
Asked why a prison employee will risk their career to help in the escape, Williams said, “Do not know, greed, greed, friendship, motives that cause men to do bad things.”
Ordered a photo of Sterling Williams, a maintenance employee who was arrested for allegedly helping inmates to escape from the orleans justice center.
Orleans Criminal Sheriff Office
News about the arrest of employees came when the search for six fugitives was still on the fifth day.
Four men in general-corey Boyd, Lenton Vanburen, Jermaine Donald and Derrick Groves-Dideconan with second-level murder, officials said.
10 inmates were found missing during the number of routine employees at the Orleans Justice Center around 8:30 am local time Friday, according to Major Silas Phipps with the Sheriff Parish Orleans office. Initially, officials said 11 had fled, but officials did not realize that someone had just been transferred to another cell.
The prisoners are believed to have fled from prison around 1 am on Friday, said officials.
Marshals of the United States, the Louisiana state police and the probation and parole period were informed at 9:30 am on Friday, the Sheriff Office said. New Orleans police officers said they were told at 10:30 am
Three of the escape were arrested within 24 hours from Jailbreak, said officials. One was arrested after he was seen at French Quarter New Orleans.
The prisoners who fled Robert Moody, Dkenan Dennis and Kendall Myles were all arrested again on Friday, just a few hours after leaving prison. Myles were detained in prison on charges of murder two when he was suspected of escaping.
The last arrest occurred Monday when the police arrested Gary C. Price who was 21 years old, according to the State Police Louisiana.
Some escapes began to damage the locked cell door at 12:22 local time Friday and was seen on the recording of supervision entering the cell about 20 minutes later, the officials said.
The cell at the Orleans Justice Center in New Orleans where the prisoners seemed to run away.
Orleans sheriff parish office
10 prisoners came out of prison through the wall behind the toilet at 1:01 in the morning on Friday, said Sheriff orleans Parish Susan Hutson. They then walked from the property through the loading dock door and enhance the perimeter wall using a blanket to protect themselves from barbed wire, according to Phipps. From there, officials said they had a clear path on the railroad tracks and then between states.
The arrest of prison maintenance workers came after officials said they were investigating how violations occurred, said prisoners had to receive assistance, or at least several types of tools that allow them to escape.
“We have an indication that this prisoner receives assistance in their escape from within our department,” Sheriff orleans Parish Susan Hutson said at the May 15 press conference. “It is almost impossible – not completely – but it is almost impossible for anyone to get out of this facility without outside assistance.”
Murrill said the investigation of the escape was ongoing.
“We will reveal all the facts in the end and anyone who helps and conspires will be fully prosecuted,” Murrill said. “I encourage anyone who knows anything and even those who might have provided assistance to advance now to get the best results in their special cases.”
This is a developing story. Please check again for updates.