3rd woman arrested for allegedly assisting New Orleans inmate escapee still at large

[ad_1] A Slidell lady was arrested and accused of serving to a fugitive who continues to be at massive from the huge New Orleans jailbreak elude seize, Louisiana State Police mentioned.

Connie Weeden, 59, was taken into custody in Slidell and booked into the St. Tammany Parish Correctional Middle on Thursday. Along with jail workers, she is the third individual arrested for helping the Orleans Justice Middle's escaped inmates.

Weeden faces a felony cost of accent after the very fact for allegedly helping Jermaine Donald, one of many 5 escapees nonetheless on the run.

A display screen seize taken from a handout CCTV video reveals inmates operating via the loading dock on the Orleans Parish Justice Middle, in New Orleans, Might 16, 2025.

Orleans Parish Sheriff's Workplace through Reuters

"Weeden was in touch through cellphone each earlier than and after the escape," mentioned LSP officers in an announcement. "Investigators decided that after the escape, she offered Donald with money via a cellular phone app."

Donald stays at massive, together with 4 others who broke out of the Orleans Justice Middle on Might 16. Authorities have recaptured 5 of the unique 10 who escaped.

Regulation enforcement officers warned that serving to fugitives will carry critical penalties. "Those that select to help or conceal these people are violating the legislation and might be held accountable," mentioned state police. "Harboring fugitives threatens the security of our communities and won't be tolerated."

Below Louisiana legislation, a conviction for accent after the very fact carries a penalty of as much as 5 years in jail, a high-quality of as much as $500, or each.

The LSP introduced on Wednesday that 32-year-old Cortnie Harris and 38-year-old Corvanntay Baptiste have been arrested and charged with felony counts of being equipment after the very fact. They have been each booked on the Plaquemines Parish Detention Middle, officers mentioned.

The cell at Orleans Justice Middle in New Orleans the place inmates apparently escaped from.

Orleans Parish Sheriff's Workplace

Earlier on Thursday, the Orleans Parish District Lawyer issued subpoenas to the Orleans Parish Sheriff Susan Hutson, and different OPSO employees members as a part of an ongoing investigation into the escape of inmates.

The order demanded entry to emails, textual content messages, inside messages, from or to Hutson and different OPSO employees and contractors, together with these to Sterling Williams, the jail upkeep employee who was arrested in reference to the jailbreak.

Williams, a 33-year-old upkeep employee on the Orleans Parish Justice Middle, was arrested and booked into jail Tuesday morning, in accordance with Louisiana Lawyer Normal Liz Murrill.

Williams allegedly shut off the water to a bathroom to assist clear the way in which for the inmates to flee, sources mentioned. The prisoners, together with three who're charged with second-degree homicide and stay on the run, have been in a position to get out after ripping the bathroom off its hinges.