Orleans Parish Sheriff Susan Hutson has been indicted on 30 felony counts following a jailbreak at the Orleans Justice Center last May, when 10 inmates escaped through a hole behind a toilet. The indictment, announced Wednesday by Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill, includes charges of malfeasance in office, filing or maintaining false records, obstruction of justice, and conspiracy to commit these offenses. Sheriff Hutson’s bond was set at $300,000, and she has bonded out of custody.

The sheriff’s chief financial officer, Bianka Brown, was also indicted on 20 similar counts with a $200,000 bond. Both Hutson and Brown have been ordered to surrender their passports and are barred from leaving Louisiana. They appeared in court Thursday morning for a status hearing in the case.

Attorney General Liz Murrill stated, “While Sheriff Hutson did not personally open the doors of the jail for the escapees, her refusal to comply with basic legal requirements and to take even minimal precautions in the discharge of her duties directly contributed to and enabled the escape."

The jailbreak took place around 1 a.m. on May 16 of last year. The inmates began tampering with a locked cell around 12:23 a.m. and broke through a defective lock before escaping through a hole they made in the wall behind a toilet. Video surveillance showed the inmates exiting through a door in the docks area where supplies are delivered. Jail staff did not discover the escape until a routine headcount at 8:30 a.m.

All 10 inmates, who ranged in age from 19 to 42 and included individuals facing murder and serious felony charges, were recaptured by October. Eight of the inmates are expected to go to trial in September, while two are undergoing competency evaluations.

Sheriff Hutson has described the incident as an “inside job,” and at least three employees were suspended with one maintenance worker arrested during the investigation. She gave her farewell speech on Tuesday, one day before the indictment, and will remain in office until Monday, when Sheriff-elect Michelle Woodfork is set to take over.

The indictment covers alleged misconduct from May 2022 through April 2026, spanning Hutson’s entire term. The investigation into the jailbreak and related actions is ongoing, with state and federal law enforcement partners continuing efforts to improve jail security and oversight.

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