Nearly a dozen inmates escape New Orleans jail; public warned amid search

NEW ORLEANS (WGNO) — A New Orleans jail is on lockdown after multiple inmates escaped Friday morning.

According to the Orleans Parish Sheriff’s Office (OPSO), the inmates were discovered missing around 8:30 a.m. during a routine headcount at the Orleans Justice Center.

OPSO deputies and partnering state law enforcement agencies are actively searching for the following escapees.

• Antoine Massey, 33
  • Charges: Domestic abuse battery/strangulation, theft of motor vehicle, parole violation
• Lenton Vanburen, 27
  • Charges: Illegal carrying weapons, illegal possession of a firearm by a felon, obstruction of justice, introducing contraband into prison
• Leo Tate, 31
  • Charges: Simple burglary of an inhabited dwelling, possession of a firearm, illegal carrying of a weapon with a controlled substance
• Derrick Groves, 27
  • Charges: Second-degree murder, attempted second-degree murder
• Jermaine Donald, 42
  • Charges: Second-degree murder, aggravated battery, possession of a firearm
• Corey Boyd, 20
  • Charges: Second-degree murder, aggravated battery
• Dkenen Dennis, 24
• Gary Price, 21
• Robert Moody, 21

As of Friday afternoon, authorities had recaptured one inmate, 20-year-old Kendell Myles, who New Orleans Police Dept. Superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick said was located in the touristy French Quarter district thanks to facial recognition technology.

“After a brief foot pursuit, he was apprehended on Royal Street,” State Police said. “Troopers continue working with partners to locate the remaining escapees and ensure public safety.”

The public is being advised to stay alert and aware and to not approach the individuals.

“Any lapses or failures that contributed to this incident will be addressed swiftly and with full accountability,” said Hutson.

OPSO officials released a set of images of a hole in the wall from which they believe the inmates escaped.

Hutson addressed the lapse in security citing defective locks on the cell. She adds that the escapees possibly received assistance from individuals inside the Orleans Parish Sheriff’s Office.

“At approximately 12:23 a.m., the detainees began tampering with a locked cell door, ultimately breaking it open. A Correctional Monitoring Technician in the Control Module was present, but the detainees were able to breach a wall behind a toilet in their housing unit which was out of view. The detainees exited the jail through a door at approximately 1:01 a.m., scaling a wall and running across the interstate shortly after. Video surveillance confirms that they exited through a door in the docks where supplies are brought into the jail,” said Hutson.

Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill said Friday that there was no excuse and that “someone clearly dropped the ball.”

It’s all hands on deck. The first priority in any escape must be the immediate capture of the inmates and coordination with state and local law enforcement — but that effort cannot come at the expense of timely notification to the public,  which is also critical to keeping communities safe. My office will do whatever it takes to determine how this happened and make sure that it won’t happen again. I am calling for a full investigation – This is beyond unacceptable, and once these offenders are back in custody, there must be real accountability.
Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill

NOPD jail escape news conference

Edwin Shorty, Orleans parish constable and candidate for sheriff, accused authorities of failing to notify residents of the escape for “hours after the breach,” calling the alleged delay “a failure in communication that could have put lives in jeopardy.”

Kirkpatrick said during a news conference that her officers were not alerted of the escape until 10:30 a.m. She added that anyone found to have helped the escapees will also be charged.

“You will be charged as an accomplice. I’m sure that the district attorney who has spoken in the past about harboring a fugitive, will take it very seriously. We will take you into custody unless you cooperate with us,” said Kirkpatrick.

This is a developing story; refresh for updates.