Early on May 16th, 2025, chaos broke out at the Orleans Parish Justice Center in New Orleans as ten inmates – including the infamous Antoine Massey – orchestrated a brazen breakout. Massey’s fourth jail escape has raised serious questions about the security at the jail and has set off a fierce manhunt that continues to hold the city in a grip of fear. While officials race to reapprehend the escapees, the breakout has revealed profound weaknesses in the Louisiana prison system and revived debates on prison reform and public safety.
Antoine Massey, aged 32 at present, has a criminal history that presents a concerning scenario. He has a record of conviction on charges of armed robbery, domestic violence and assault per Orleans Parish court reports. Some of his present charges encompass domestic abuse by strangulation, motor vehicle theft and charges of violating his parole. A protective order placed against him highlights the threat he poses to certain individuals and the general community.
Massey’s history of escapes began in 2007 when, as a juvenile, he was among six inmates who fled from the Youth Study Center in New Orleans. Details of that incident are limited, but it marked the start of a pattern. In 2019, Massey broke out of the Morehouse Detention Center near Monroe, Louisiana, by cutting through a chain-link fence in the exercise yard. He was recaptured the same day in Lancaster, Texas, alongside another inmate, Treg Westley. In 2023, Massey escaped again, though specifics remain scarce. His repeated success in evading custody led authorities to deem him ineligible for electronic ankle monitoring, even if he posted bond.
The May 16, 2025, escape was a meticulously planned operation that exploited vulnerabilities in the Orleans Parish Justice Center’s infrastructure. The ten inmates, including Massey, removed a toilet and sink unit in their cell, accessing a hole behind the toilet that led to a pipe chase. From there, they navigated to a loading dock, scaled a perimeter wall using blankets, and fled across Interstate 10.
One person instrumental in the escape was Sterling Williams, a 33-year-old jail maintenance worker. Williams was arrested on May 19, 2025, on ten counts of principal to simple escape and one charge of malfeasance in office. Williams confessed to investigators that Massey made threats to stab him if he did not shut off the water supply to the cell so that the inmates could dismantle the fixtures and make their escape route. A civilian employee who was supposed to watch security systems also walked away from his station to fetch food at the time of the escape, leaving the area unattended, adding to the security failure.
As of May 22, 2025, five of the ten escaped inmates were recaptured, but Massey and four others—Corey Boyd, Jermaine Donald, Derrick Groves, Leo Tate, and Lenton Vanburen—remain on the loose. Some of those men also carry a history of having committed brutally criminal acts, building a sense ofpublic fear. A large-scale manhunt has been launched, involving more than 200 federal, state, and local law enforcement officials from the FBI, ATF, and the Bureau of Investigation for the state of Louisiana.
Up to $20,000 has been offered by the authorities in reward for information about their capture. Some of the escapees have apparently been seen in the French Quarter by means of surveillance camera pictures and may be hiding somewhere in New Orleans. The New Orleans Police Department’s Superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick feels that the bulk of the fugitives remain in New Orleans and has advised citizens not to assist them as they’re very hazardous individuals.
The search has extended beyond New Orleans, with alerts issued to neighboring states. The Louisiana State Police have been coordinating with local authorities to gather additional leads. The public is urged to report any sightings to law enforcement but cautioned not to approach the escapees.
