The FBI has doubled its reward for information leading to the capture of seven inmates who remain at large following a jailbreak at the Orleans Justice Center early Friday morning. Authorities say ten inmates escaped through a hole behind a toilet in a cell block. Since then, two have been apprehended, and one had remained in custody during the incident, leaving seven still on the run. Law enforcement officials have warned that the fugitives are considered “armed and dangerous.”
Newsweek reports that FBI Special Agent Jonathan Trapp announced that the bureau is now offering $10,000 per escaped inmate, up from the original $5,000, as the manhunt enters its third day. The increased reward comes in addition to offers from other agencies, including $5,000 from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and $2,000 from CrimeStoppers, bringing the total possible reward for each fugitive to $17,000.
In a statement posted on the FBI’s website, the agency said: “At the request of the New Orleans Police Department, FBI New Orleans has surged resources to assist with apprehending inmates who escaped from the Orleans Parish Jail on May 16, 2025.”
At a press conference Friday, Orleans Parish Sheriff Susan Hutson indicated that the escape may have involved internal assistance. “There are signs that the 10 inmates who escaped from the jail may have received assistance in their escape from individuals inside of our department,” Hutson said.
In response to the escape, Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry announced a full audit of the Orleans Correctional Facility, to be conducted by the Department of Corrections. At a news conference on Sunday, he also issued several executive orders aimed at reforming oversight of the facility, according to WDSU, NBC News Louisiana Affiliate.
The governor said the audit would include the removal of all Department of Corrections (DOC) inmates from the facility and a review of basic jail guidelines. He also raised concerns about the handling of criminal cases in the parish.
“Once a person is booked, the case goes to Orleans Parish District Attorney Jason Williams, but many of those cases are being dismissed, including four of the escaped inmates,” Landry said. “Kendell Myles, Lenton Vanburen were charged with battery on correctional officers. Robert Moody, Jermaine Donald and Lenton Vanburen were charged with contraband in jail.”
He continued, “Prosecutors who are unprepared and delay cases for years must be addressed in this court system,” and called on DA Jason Williams to explain why such cases are not progressing.
A multiagency task force, involving at least a dozen law enforcement agencies, is actively searching the region. Among the escapees are inmates charged with serious offenses, including second-degree murder. Authorities are urging the public to report any information that may lead to the fugitives’ capture.
