A maintenance worker at the Orleans Parish jail was arrested under suspicion of aiding the escape of 10 inmates, officials disclosed yesterday. Sterling Williams, 33, is facing charges after authorities say he intentionally turned off the water to a cell, enabling the inmates to remove the toilet from its hinges and make their getaway. The mass jailbreak occurred last Friday, and some inmates, including those charged with second-degree murder, are still at large, reported ABC News.
Williams was taken into custody and subsequently moved to a different facility, following his initial booking at the jail where the escape took place. Arrested on 10 counts of principle to simple escape alongside one count of malfeasance in office, Williams alleged that one of the escapees, Antoine Massey, coerced him into aiding their escape, threatening violence if he did not comply. According to sources reporting to Fox 8, Williams claimed Massey threatened to "shank" him.
Subsequent to his arrest, the Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill’s office issued a statement revealing that, in lieu of reporting the inmates' plans, Williams facilitated their escape by shutting off the water supply to their cell. The Attorney General's statement was detailed in reports by Fox News. The inmates still on the run are considered dangerous, and law enforcement agencies are on a heightened alert to return them to custody.
Additional details about Williams' interactions with the inmates came from the arrest affidavit. The incarcerated individuals not only demanded Williams' assistance with the physical part of their escape but also tried to coerce him into smuggling in "a book with cash app information." Trying to take his phone was also among their efforts of intimidation, “get him to bring a book with cash app information," Williams reportedly informed the police, a claim sourced from Fox News.
