Three of the 10 inmates who escaped from the Orleans Parish Justice Center on May 16 were recaptured on Monday in two states, authorities said. Two more inmates are still on the run.
Lenton Vanburen was arrested by police in Baton Rouge, while Leo Tate and Jermaine Donald were captured in Walker County, Texas, by the Texas Department of Public Safety, according to Louisiana State Police.
Police found Vanburen sitting on a bench near a department store after receiving an anonymous tip from a concerned citizen, the Baton Rouge Police Department said in a statement
Tate and Donald were arrested after leading law enforcement officers on a high-speed chase through the Huntsville area, according to the Texas Department of Public Safety.
“The pursuit ended near US 190 and Geneva, where both subjects were taken into custody,” it stated on Facebook. “Both Donald and Tate were taken to the Walker County Jail for processing.”
Vanburen was originally incarcerated on firearm and parole violation charges. Tate had been jailed on firearm and burglary charges, while Donald was initially held on charges of second-degree murder, aggravated battery, and possession of a firearm by a felon.
Louisiana State Police said in a statement that several individuals have been arrested for allegedly assisting the fugitives.
“These arrests were the result of a multi-agency collaborative investigation with our local, state, and federal partners. The investigation continues and additional arrests may be forthcoming,” police stated.
Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry issued an executive order on May 21, calling for an immediate response from multiple state agencies to address a major breach at the Orleans Parish Correctional Facility.
In a statement, Landry said that his top priority would be ensuring public safety in the wake of the jailbreak, vowing that “no effort will be spared in bringing those responsible to justice.
The order directs the Department of Corrections (DOC) to review the Orleans Parish Correctional Facility for compliance with “basic jail guidelines” and relocate all DOC inmates currently held in that facility.
Last week, police arrested Sterling Williams, a maintenance worker at the Orleans Parish Sheriff’s Office, for allegedly aiding the brazen escape of the 10 inmates from the Orleans Justice Center on May 16.
Williams faces 10 counts of principal to simple escape and one count of malfeasance in office. According to the state attorney general’s office, Williams admitted to investigators that one of the inmates instructed him to shut off the water in a cell.
