Louisiana sheriff charged after toilet jailbreak let 10 inmates escape in lockup fiasco

A Louisiana sheriff is facing a slew of charges stemming from the infamous New Orleans jailbreak that resulted successful 1 of the largest inmate flight incidents successful U.S. history. 

Orleans Parish Sheriff Susan Hutson, 59, was handed a sweeping 30-count indictment alleging obstruction of justice, malfeasance and falsifying nationalist records connected Wednesday, according to a property merchandise from Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill’s office.

Chief Financial Officer Bianka Brown was besides slapped with 20 felony counts, officials added. 

The charges stem from a May 2025 incidental successful which 10 inmates escaped from the Orleans Justice Center, Murrill’s bureau said.

NEW ORLEANS JAIL SECURITY 'TRAIN WRECK' HELPED 4-TIME ESCAPEE, 9 OTHERS BREAK OUT: FORMER WARDEN

Sheriff Susan Hutson arrives astatine the Council Chambers for a City Council gathering aft 10 inmates escaped from the Orleans Parish Justice Center astatine City Hall successful New Orleans connected May 20, 2025. (Sophia Germer/The Times-Picayune/The New Orleans Advocate/AP)

"Nearly a twelvemonth ago, I made a committedness to the radical of New Orleans and the radical of our authorities that those liable for the Orleans Parish Prison interruption would beryllium held accountable," Murrill said successful a statement.

"Since that day, done the hard enactment of my office, on with the Louisiana State Police and our galore federal, state, and section instrumentality enforcement partners, each escapee is down bars, and others who facilitated and enabled the flight are presently being prosecuted."

Murrill besides alleges Hutson’s mediocre enactment played a cardinal relation successful the flight of astir a twelve unsafe inmates, including immoderate facing execution charges, aft they broke retired of jailhouse from down a toilet. 

All 10 inmates were subsequently captured pursuing a nationwide manhunt.

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Surveillance footage shows inmates escaping the Orleans Justice Center during a information breach successful New Orleans. (Orleans Parish Sheriff's Office)

"While Sheriff Hutson did not personally unfastened the doors of the jailhouse for the escapees, her refusal to comply with basal ineligible requirements and to instrumentality adjacent minimal precautions successful the discharge of her duties straight contributed to and enabled the escape," Murrill said. 

The charges travel conscionable days earlier Hutson was acceptable to permission bureau aft lone receiving 17% of the ballot successful her re-election bid past October, FOX 8 reported.

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Mugshots amusement 10 inmates who escaped from Orleans Parish Jail successful New Orleans. The escapees are Dkenan Dennis, Gary C. Price, Robert Moody, Kendell Myles, Corey E. Boyd, Lenton Vanburen Jr., Jermaine Donald, Antonine T. Massey, Derrick D. Groves, and Leo Tate Sr. (Orleans Parish Sheriff's Office/AP)

Hutson’s word was reportedly plagued by the infamous jailbreak, respective controversies and calls for her to resign arsenic sheriff. 

She had ne'er worked successful a jailhouse erstwhile she unseated four-term erstwhile Sheriff Marlin Gusman successful 2021, and had minimal instrumentality enforcement acquisition aft moving arsenic the city’s autarkic constabulary show and an lawyer specializing successful constabulary oversight, according to FOX 8.

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Sheriff Susan Hutson speaks during a City Council gathering astatine City Hall successful New Orleans connected May 20, 2025, pursuing the flight of 10 inmates from the Orleans Parish Justice Center. (Sophia Germer/The Times-Picayune/The New Orleans Advocate/Associated Press)

Additionally, authorities auditors precocious reported astir $260,000 successful suspicious overpayments for information details, with erstwhile scandals involving allegations that Hutson dropped ample sums of currency connected edifice rooms for her apical officials during Mardi Gras, according to FOX 8. 

New Orleans Police Department Superintendent Michelle Woodfork was elected by voters to win Hutson, and is expected to beryllium sworn successful connected Monday, the outlet reported.

A photograph of the spread near down by convulsive inmates who escaped the Orleans Parish Jail.  (Orleans Parish Sheriff’s Office)

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"As my prosecutors determination guardant with this case, I proceed to person productive conversations with Sheriff-elect Michelle Woodfork connected however to amended operations, unafraid the facility, and physique successful basal fiscal oversight that complies with authorities law," Murrill added. "I americium assured successful her committedness to instrumentality the hard changes needed to betterment the jail."

A justice has acceptable Hutson’s enslaved astatine $300,000, and Brown’s enslaved astatine $200,000, portion besides ordering some women to manus implicit their passports and stay successful the authorities of Louisiana.

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Both Hutson and Brown are acceptable to look successful tribunal for a presumption proceeding connected Thursday. 

Fox News Digital reached retired to Hutson, Brown and the Louisiana Office of the Attorney General for comment.