Three inmates accused of escaping New Orleans’ main lockup in one of Louisiana’s biggest jailbreaks ever have been apprehended, leaving two at large, officials said Monday.
Jermaine Donald, 42, who was jailed on charges of second-degree murder and other crimes prior to his escape, was taken into custody in Texas with another inmate accused of fleeing Orleans Justice Center on May 16, Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill said in a statement.
That inmate, Leo Tate, 31, had been in custody on burglary and firearms charges, Murrill said.
The two men were arrested in Walker County, north of Houston, by the Texas Department of Public Safety, the Orleans Parish Sheriff’s Office said in a statement.
Separately, Lenton Vanburen, 26, who was jailed on firearms and parole violation charges, was taken into custody in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, the city’s police department said in a statement.
The three inmates will now face additional charges, Murrill said in a statement.
It was not immediately clear if he have lawyers to speak on their behalf.
Several people, including a jail maintenance worker, have been accused of assisting in the escape.
Sterling Williams, who was charged with principle to simple escape and malfeasance in office, allegedly cut off the water to a cell’s toilet so that inmates could remove it without flooding the area, Murrill said in a news release last week.
According to an affidavit in support of an arrest warrant, Williams told authorities that one of the inmates who escaped threatened to “shank” him if he did not help.
That inmate, identified in the document as Antoine Massey, has not been apprehended.
After removing the toilet, the affidavit states, the inmates allegedly sawed through steel bars and escaped through a hole in the wall before they scaled a barbed-wire fence using blankets.
A photo released by authorities showed the phrases “To Easy Lol” and “We Innocent” written above the toilet.
