New Orleans Jail Worker Sentenced for Aiding Inmate Escape
A custodian received 2.5 years in prison for his role in a jailbreak involving 10 inmates.
A New Orleans jail worker has been sentenced to 2.5 years in prison for enabling 10 inmates to escape from jail. Custodian Sterling Williams, 34, pleaded guilty to malfeasance in office, admitting his actions facilitated one of the largest jailbreaks in recent U.S. history.
In May 2025, Williams turned off the water to a clogged toilet in a cell. The inmates then removed the toilet, crawled through a hole in the wall behind it, and scaled a fence to exit the facility. They left behind graffiti that read “To Easy LoL.”
Williams' attorney stated that his client did not intentionally assist the escapees but acknowledged failing to follow protocol. The attorney noted that Williams should have generated a work order before shutting off the water. The plea agreement included the possibility that Williams' actions aided the inmates' plan without his knowledge.
In addition to the 2.5-year sentence, an additional 2.5 years of Williams' sentence was suspended. He will also serve three years of probation. The state dropped 10 charges of being a principal to aggravated escape, which carried a maximum sentence of 10 years.
All 10 escaped inmates were apprehended. One convicted murderer remained at large for five months before being found hiding beneath a house in Atlanta. The inmates are currently facing charges of aggravated escape and are scheduled for a jury trial in April.
Williams is not the only individual facing consequences. At least 14 other people, including friends and family members of the escapees, were arrested and accused of assisting the jailbreak by providing food, money, transportation, and shelter.
Earlier this year, a grand jury indicted then-Orleans Parish Sheriff Susan Hutson on 30 counts, including malfeasance, obstruction of justice, and falsifying public records. While Hutson is not accused of direct involvement in the escape, a state investigation concluded that her poor management contributed to the jailbreak. Bianka Brown, the chief financial officer of the sheriff’s office, was also indicted on 20 similar charges. Hutson and Brown have pleaded not guilty.