Who is Sterling Williams? New Orleans jail employee who ‘willfully and maliciously’ facilitated 10 inmates escape

A member of the Orleans Parish Sheriff’s Office was taken into custody and accused of ten counts of simple escape and official misconduct. The arrest warrant affidavit states that Williams “willfully and maliciously” enabled a daring escape of the prisoners.

Who is Sterling Williams?

Williams is reportedly a maintenance employee who shut off the water in the cell from where the prisoners escaped.

He claims Antoine Massey, one of the prisoners, threatened to harm him with a “shank” – a make shift knife – if he did not help, as per court documents.

According to Louisiana State Police, four out of the 10 prisoners have been apprehended so far, adding that a number of them were charged with violent crimes, including murder, BBC reported.

Meanwhile, Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill stated in a statement that Williams “admitted to agents that one of the escapees advised him to turn the water off in the cell where the inmates escaped from.”

“Instead of reporting the inmate, Williams turned the water off as directed allowing the inmates to carry out their scheme to successfully escape,” she said.

Murrill further stated that the investigation is still ongoing, and authorities will finally learn all the facts, and anyone who helped or abetted will face the harshest punishment as per the law.

Also Read: Walmart boycott again? Here’s when and where it’s happening amid price hike concerns

What we know about other six fugitives

The six fugitives who are still at large are regarded as dangerous and armed. They are:

Derrick Groves was found guilty on Mardi Gras Day in 2018 of murdering two people and shooting two others.

Antoine Massey, whose previous escapes date back to 2007, is being jailed on allegations of domestic violence and vehicle theft. He is also wanted for kidnapping and rape in St. Tammany Parish.

Lenton Vanburen is charged with killing a person in New Orleans East in 2021.

Corey Boyd is suspected of killing Brandon Fees in 2024 while breaking into a car.

Jermaine Donald is accused of firearms offenses, aggravated violence, attempted second-degree murder, and obstruction of justice.

Leo Tate is awaiting trial for charges of firearms, drugs, and burglary.

The prisoners ripped a sliding door from their holding cell off its tracks, according to Sheriff Susan Hutson.

The toilet was later torn from the wall, and metal bars were broken around a pipe hole that the missing toilet had exposed.

The sheriff claimed that the group escaped by scaling a wall and sprinting across a highway.

Pictures of what appeared to be messages left by the prisoners were made public by the sheriff’s office. One of the messages read, “To [sic] Easy LoL”, with a smiley face.