If the story of the ten inmates who escaped from a New Orleans prison couldn’t get any juicier, there’s another interesting update in the case. As authorities try to piece together how the men managed to walk out of the Orleans Parish Correctional Facility in the middle of the night on May 16, three women have been arrested for allegedly helping them make their getaway.
Earlier this week, we told you that authorities arrested Sterling Williams, the prison maintenance worker who they say shut off the water allowing the inmates to pull a toilet from the wall and gain access to the outside world. Now, it seems there were others helping them both before and after their escape.
Cortnie Harris and Corvanntay Baptiste were arrested and charged on May 22 with being accessories after the fact for allegedly “assisting” in the jailbreak. According to WWLTV, authorities believe Harris spoke with one of the inmates before the incident and drove two of the escapees around New Orleans to avoid the police. For her part, Baptiste is accused of using the phone and social media to contact escapee Corey Boyd. She also allegedly gave him food while he remained in hiding. Boyd has since been recaptured by law enforcement.
According to NBC News, a third woman, 59-year-old Connie Weeden, was arrested on the same charges on May 23 and booked into the St. Tammany Parish Correctional Center. New Orleans NBC affiliate WDSU has reported that Weeden was in contact with Jermaine Donald, who is her grandson and one of the escapees who remains at large, before and after his escape. She allegedly wired him cash through a digital wallet app.
If convicted, all three women could face up to five years in prison and a $500 fine. Five of the escapees have been recaptured and arrested. As of this post, five still remain at large.