Orleans Parish Sheriff Indicted: Susan Hutson Faces 30 Felony Counts

Outgoing Orleans Parish Sheriff Susan Hutson has been indicted on 30 felony counts by a Louisiana grand jury, according to the Louisiana Attorney General’s office. The indictment, announced Wednesday, stems from a jailbreak that occurred at the Orleans Justice Center in May 2025, during which 10 inmates escaped.

Hutson, whose term is ending in the coming days, faces 14 counts of malfeasance in office and four counts of conspiracy to commit malfeasance in office, as well as charges including filing or maintaining false public records and obstruction of justice. A judge set her bond at $300,000.

Bianka Brown, the chief financial officer for the Orleans Parish Sheriff’s Office, was also indicted on 20 felony counts related to the jailbreak. Her bond was set at $200,000. Both Hutson and Brown are expected to attend a status hearing Thursday morning, prosecutors said.

Attorney General Cites Negligence

Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill stated that while Sheriff Hutson “did not personally open the doors of the jail for the escapees,” her “refusal to comply with basic legal requirements and to take even minimal precautions in the discharge of her duties directly contributed to and enabled the escape.”

“While Sheriff Hutson did not personally open the doors of the jail for the escapees, her refusal to comply with basic legal requirements and to take even minimal precautions in the discharge of her duties directly contributed to and enabled the escape.”

Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill

The ten inmates escaped from the Orleans Justice Center in the early morning hours of May 15, 2025, by climbing through a hole behind a toilet. Their disappearance went unnoticed for several hours, triggering a large-scale manhunt. All ten escapees were eventually recaptured, with the last, Derrick Groves, being apprehended in Atlanta after nearly five months on the run.

Audit Revealed Inspection Deficiencies

Following the jailbreak, an audit requested by Gov. Jeff Landry revealed that the Orleans Parish Sheriff’s Office (OPSO) did not routinely conduct jail inspections due to understaffing. The audit found that during one week in May 2025, officials only documented 64% of the required inspections and 30% of the required security checks. Inspections for the area where the escape occurred were not documented the day before the escape, or during the first shift on the day of the incident.

The Attorney General’s office stated that the special grand jury was convened at their request following the May 16, 2025, jailbreak. The investigation focused on the circumstances surrounding the escape and the alleged failures of leadership within the OPSO.

Hutson previously announced in May 2025 that she was suspending her reelection campaign amid the fallout from the jailbreak.