United States: A widening manhunt continues after a fourth person, Connie Weeden, aged 59 and hailing from Slidell, has been apprehended and charged for her alleged post-escape involvement in the audacious breakout of 10 detainees from a New Orleans detention facility on May 16. Authorities disclosed that the inmates exploited a concealed aperture behind a toilet to make their clandestine exit.

Weeden now faces a felony charge for acting as an accessory after the fact, having allegedly maintained communication with Jermaine Donald—an escapee who remains elusive—and transferring monetary aid through a mobile payment channel. She has since been processed at the St. Tammany Parish Correctional Center, according to Louisiana State Police.

Law enforcement agencies at municipal, state and federal tiers have united in relentless pursuit of the remaining fugitives. “Harboring escapees is not merely illicit—it endangers the collective welfare of our neighborhoods,” read a statement from authorities. “No stone will be left unturned,” according to reports by komonews.com.

Five of the ten escapees are still at large.

The Conduit Within: A Maintenance Worker’s Role Unveiled

The first arrest in the unraveling saga was that of Sterling Williams, 38, a maintenance employee at the correctional center. He allegedly acceded to an inmate’s demand to halt the water supply in the affected cell under duress—fearing violence if he refused. Investigators claim he was threatened with a makeshift weapon.

Williams’ legal representative, Michael Kennedy, emphasized his client was manipulated into aiding the escape. “They clogged the plumbing intentionally—forcing his hand. He was the lever they pulled, nothing more,” Kennedy asserted.

Williams now faces ten counts of principal to simple escape alongside malfeasance in office. His total bail stands at a staggering $1.1 million.

More Accused Aiders Come to Light

Two others—Courtney Harris, 32, of New Orleans, and Corvanntay Baptiste, 38, of Slidell—have also been charged as accessories after the fact. Harris is suspected of coordinating with an escapee prior to the breakout and later chauffeuring two fugitives across several New Orleans locales.

Baptiste, meanwhile, purportedly maintained digital and verbal contact with Corey Boyd—who has since been recaptured—and allegedly smuggled sustenance to him while he lay low.

Mounting Rewards Spark Public Participation

In a bid to hasten the capture of the remaining runaways, the FBI has doubled its reward to $10,000 per fugitive. Complementary incentives include $5,000 from the ATF and up to $5,000 from CrimeStoppers, as mentioned by komonews.com.

The escapees—whose ages span from 19 to 42—face a litany of severe charges, encompassing murder, aggravated assault, and domestic battery.

Delayed Discovery Raises Eyebrows

Shockingly, officials only became aware of the escape more than seven hours after the inmates vanished at approximately 1 am, casting a harsh spotlight on potential lapses in surveillance and response protocols.