THIBODAUX, La. — Some soap, a drain, and an opportunity were all a Lafourche Parish inmate needed to escape from jail last week. The sheriff called it a design flaw.
When the Lafourche Parish Correctional Complex was built in 2019, Sheriff Craig Webre never thought a small water drain in one of the recreational areas could be a pathway to freedom. It’s an opening about the size of a regular manila envelope, meant to allow rainwater to escape.
“It’s about 7.5 inches tall and maybe 12 or 14 inches wide. So, there are very few people who can escape from an area that small,” Webre said.
Leroy Miles, Jr., 23, is one of those people.
“He’s 5’11”, 140 pounds, has a thin build,” Webre said.
Webre says over time inmates saw an opportunely and kicked out the metal covering on the backside. Using soap on his body to reduce friction, Webre said Miles squeezed through the eight to ten-inch pathway Thursday night. Other inmates helped push him out.
“There were three inmates primarily involved in this escape. The other two couldn’t get through,” Webre said. “They were bigger than Mr. Miles.”
Once through the drain, Miles climbed over a fence which is designed to be a no-climb fence. A headcount that evening didn’t catch that Miles was missing.
“This is another wake up call. These things do matter,” Webre said.
Friday, an inmate told a staff member Miles was gone. Authorities tracked him down at a hotel in Houma on Grand Caillou Road.
“He was in the bathroom of the room and he had some drugs that he was trying to get rid of and he had an AR-15 under the mattress of the bed,” Webre said.
Wanted for murder in Lafayette Parish and attempted murder in Terrebonne Parish, Miles ended up in Lafourche Parish after running from police during a traffic stop in Lockport. Webre said Miles had plenty of help once he escaped.
“There were phone calls that were placed to family members and other individuals and then there was a coordinated pickup person,” Webre said.
Webre says what happened is unacceptable and shows what can happen when the right elements are available.
“With the right determination, and inside and outside assistance, they could do some pretty unbelievable things,” Webre said.
Webre expects charges against the people who helped Miles once he escaped. As for that design flaw, that’s being fixed. Other changes are also being made.
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