Three more inmates who escaped from the Orleans Justice Center in New Orleans, Louisiana, during one of the state’s largest jailbreaks, have been apprehended. This brings the total number of captured escapees to five, with two still at large. Authorities announced the arrests on Monday, bringing a degree of closure to the ongoing manhunt.
Jermaine Donald, 42, facing charges including second-degree murder, and Leo Tate, 31, charged with burglary and firearms offenses, were apprehended in Texas, north of Houston. The Texas Department of Public Safety made the arrests in Walker County. Meanwhile, Lenton Vanburen, 26, who was jailed on firearms and parole violation charges, was taken into custody in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
All three will face additional charges related to their escape. The investigation continues to focus on identifying and apprehending the remaining two fugitives and those who may have assisted in the escape. Several individuals have already been arrested and charged, including a jail maintenance worker, Sterling Williams, who allegedly cut off the water supply to a cell’s toilet to facilitate the escape. According to an affidavit, Williams claimed that one of the escapees threatened him. The escape involved inmates sawing through steel bars and creating a hole in the wall before scaling a barbed-wire fence. The brazenness of the escape is highlighted by graffiti found above the removed toilet, reading “To Easy Lol” and “We Innocent.”
The ongoing investigation underscores the gravity of the security breach at the Orleans Justice Center and raises serious questions about the jail’s operational procedures. The capture of these three individuals represents a significant step forward, but the search for the remaining escapees and the full accounting of the events leading to the jailbreak remain priorities for law enforcement. The additional charges against the captured inmates highlight the seriousness of their actions beyond their original offenses.
