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2d ago

Manhunt Intensifies for Seven Escapees from New Orleans Jail

The FBI has doubled rewards to $10,000 per fugitive as officials investigate staff complicity and systemic security failures at Orleans Parish Jail.

This photo from the Orleans Parish Sheriff's Office shows an inmate cell at the Orleans Justice Center in New Orleans. Almost a dozen inmates escaped from the center. Note: CNN has blurred portions of this image.
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A bronze sign identifies the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) headquarters building on April 30, 2025, in Washington, DC. The agency issued an update May 16, 2025, on the New Orleans mass prison break.

Overview

  • Seven inmates, charged with violent crimes including murder, remain at large after escaping through a hole behind a toilet on May 16.
  • A multiagency task force, including the FBI, Louisiana State Police, and New Orleans Police Department, is conducting a coordinated search.
  • The FBI has increased the reward for information leading to each fugitive's capture to $10,000, with additional rewards from other agencies raising the total to $17,000 per individual.
  • Three jail employees have been suspended without pay as investigations probe potential insider assistance in the escape.
  • Orleans Parish Jail has faced long-standing criticism for defective infrastructure and understaffing, issues highlighted by this escape.