In a significant development following the May 16, 2025, mass escape from the Orleans Justice Center in New Orleans, two women have been arrested for allegedly aiding three of the ten escaped inmates. Court records indicate that the escape was coordinated through jail phone calls prior to the breakout.
Coordinated Escape and Assistance
The escapees, including 42-year-old Jermaine Donald and 31-year-old Leo Tate, reportedly contacted 32-year-old Cortnie Harris and 30-year-old Casey Smith via jail phone calls to arrange their pickup post-escape. Harris, identified as Tate’s girlfriend, received a call the night before the escape, instructing her to wait outside until 11 p.m. for further instructions. Subsequently, she and Smith picked up Tate, Donald, and a third, unidentified inmate in a rented Buick.
Legal Implications and Ongoing Investigation
Both Harris and Smith have been charged with accessory after the fact, a felony offense in Louisiana that carries a potential penalty of up to five years in prison and a $500 fine. Their arrests bring the total number of individuals charged in connection with the escape to five, including a jail maintenance worker accused of facilitating the breakout by disabling the water supply in a cell, allowing inmates to remove a toilet and escape through a hole in the wall.
The incident has raised serious concerns about security protocols at the Orleans Justice Center and has prompted calls for a thorough review of jail operations. As of now, five of the ten escapees have been recaptured, while the remaining five, including Donald and Tate, are still at large.
Authorities continue to investigate the escape and are urging anyone with information about the fugitives’ whereabouts to come forward. The case underscores the challenges faced by correctional facilities in preventing escapes and the importance of stringent security measures.
The post “Two Women Arrested in Orleans Jailbreak Plot After Coordinated Escape Via Jail Phone Calls; Five Inmates Still at Large first appeared on Voxtrend News.
