Sterling Williams, a 34-year-old custodian at the Orleans Justice Centre in New Orleans, was sentenced on Thursday, October 15, 2026, to two and a half years in prison for his role in the escape of 10 inmates in May 2025. Williams pleaded guilty to one count of malfeasance in office, according to the Associated Press. An additional two and a half years of the sentence were suspended, and he will serve three years of probation.
Escape Through a Toilet Hole
The escape, described as one of the largest jailbreaks in recent US history, occurred after Williams shut off the water to a cell. The inmates then removed a toilet, crawled through a gap in the wall, and scaled a fence to flee the Orleans Justice Centre. They left behind a graffiti note reading "To Easy LoL."
Prosecutors dropped 10 charges of being a principal to aggravated escape—an offence that carries up to 10 years in Louisiana—as part of the plea deal.
Defense and Arrest Details
Williams' lawyer, Michael Kennedy, argued that his client did not intentionally help the inmates but admitted to failing to follow protocol. Kennedy noted that a work order should have been generated before the water was shut off for a clogged toilet. He conceded that Williams' actions may have aided the plan, but said this was "without Mr Williams' knowledge."
After his arrest in 2025, an arrest warrant cited by the Associated Press said Williams told investigators that an inmate threatened to stab him if he did not turn off the water. Police stated at the time that he willfully assisted the escape.
Recapture and Wider Investigation
All 10 inmates were eventually recaptured, though one convicted murderer remained at large for five months before being found hiding beneath a house in Atlanta. They face aggravated escape charges and are scheduled for a jury trial in April.
At least 14 other people, many of them friends and family of the escapees, were also arrested over allegations that they provided food, cash, transport, 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. She is not accused of helping the inmates escape, but Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill said a state investigation found that her poor management led to the jailbreak. Hutson and Bianka Brown, the sheriff's office chief financial officer, who faces 20 similar charges, have pleaded not guilty.
Officials noted several lapses at the time, including faulty cell locks and a lone guard who had left to get food. Police were notified more than nine hours after the inmates fled.
