Staff Member Arrested in Connection with Major New Orleans Jailbreak

NEW ORLEANS — A staff member from the Orleans Parish Sheriff’s Office has been arrested in connection with a shocking jailbreak at the city’s main detention center, the Orleans Justice Center, according to Louisiana’s Attorney General’s Office.

The escape, which took place in the early hours of Friday, involved 10 inmates—many charged with violent crimes such as murder—who broke out through a hole behind a toilet in their cell. They exploited a moment when the only guard on duty left to get food. Authorities say the inmates quickly ditched their uniforms and blended into the public by changing into street clothes.

Sheriff Susan Hutson has been vocal in her belief that the breakout was facilitated from the inside. “It’s almost impossible, not completely, but almost impossible for anybody to get out of this facility without help,” she said during a recent press conference.

Following the incident, three sheriff’s office employees were suspended as part of the ongoing investigation. On Tuesday, a spokesperson for the Attorney General confirmed one employee had been arrested, although the individual’s name and specific charges have not been released. Importantly, the guard who left the inmates unattended was not the person taken into custody.

According to the sheriff’s office, one of the steel bars protecting the plumbing system appeared to have been deliberately cut using a tool—an alarming sign of premeditated sabotage.

Since the escape, four inmates have been recaptured. Six others remain on the run, prompting a citywide manhunt.

Sheriff Hutson has pointed to long-standing problems at the jail, including malfunctioning locks and chronic understaffing. However, her critics—among them local and state officials—argue that ultimate responsibility falls on her leadership and oversight.

The New Orleans City Council is set to address the incident in a meeting with the sheriff’s office and law enforcement agencies later today.