A deputy with the Orleans Parish Sheriff's Office was arrested and fired Saturday after a supervisor spotted him carrying an unauthorized bag inside the Orleans Justice Center and an unloaded handgun was discovered inside, according to officials. The deputy, identified by the sheriff's office as Joseph Talton, was taken into custody after the bag was searched. The case remains under investigation as detectives work to determine how the weapon made it into the secure facility.
According to FOX 8, sheriff’s office detectives said Talton’s actions "violated criminal law and the sheriff’s office policy," and that he was immediately terminated and now faces criminal charges. Investigators have "discovered how Talton was able to bring the weapon into the facility," the outlet reported, but officials have not disclosed those specifics while the internal probe continues.
Jail already under scrutiny
The Orleans Justice Center has been under heavy scrutiny since a brazen jailbreak on May 16, 2025, and the staffing and maintenance reviews that followed. The Associated Press documented the escape and its fallout, while local coverage has tracked separate misconduct cases linked to the jail, including an earlier deputy arrest.
What happens next
The sheriff’s office said detectives "took action to discover and remove the threat" and vowed that "all violators will be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law," according to FOX 8. Prosecutors will decide whether to file criminal counts once investigators complete their review and present the case to the district attorney's office.
