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NEW ORLEANS (TNND) — Two women have been arrested after allegedly helping some of the men who escaped from a New Orleans jail on May 16, according to the Louisiana State Police (LSP).
Courtnie Harris, 32, of New Orleans and Corvanntay Baptiste, 38, of Slidell, were booked with accessory after the fact. Five of the 10 men are still on the run after managing to slip through a hole in the wall behind a toilet.
Harris is accused of contacting one of the inmates by phone before the jailbreak and later driving two of the escapees, who remain at large, to "multiple locations in New Orleans."
Baptiste was allegedly in contact with Corey Boyd, who was captured on Tuesday, through social media and by phone, and helped get him food while he was hiding in a home.
Harris and Baptiste were booked into the Plaquemines Parish Detention Center after their arrests.
If convicted, they could face up to five years in state prison.
"Those who choose to assist or conceal these individuals are violating the law and will be held accountable," LSP said in a statement. "Harboring fugitives threatens the safety of our communities and will not be tolerated."
Maintenance worker Sterling Williams faces 10 counts of principal to simple escape and malfeasance in office. His bond amount was set at $1.1 million, which is $100,000 for each charge he is facing.
Williams, 38, admitted to agents that one of the escapees told him to turn the water off in the cell where the inmates escaped from or they would "shank him," according to investigators.
Williams' attorney, Michael Kennedy, told The Associated Press that his client shut off the water to unclog a toilet.
“This was clearly all part of an orchestrated plan,” Kennedy said. Williams “was nothing more than the tool they used to turn off the water, which they knew would have to happen after clogging the toilet.”
On Sunday, the FBI increased its reward amount from $5,000 to $10,000 per escapee, while the CrimeStoppers reward was increased from $2,000 to $5,000, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives was offering $5,000.
The men range in age from 19 to 42 and face a variety of charges including aggravated assault, domestic abuse battery and murder.
Law enforcement didn't learn about the escape until more than seven hours after the men fled the facility at 1 a.m., authorities said.
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