A small fire inside a housing pod at the Orleans Justice Center sparked a brief scare Tuesday, but deputies quickly put it out and cleared the area, according to the sheriff’s office. The flames were extinguished fast, no staff or inmates reported injuries, and two detainees were arrested on aggravated arson counts.
In a statement to WDSU, Sheriff Michelle Woodfork said deputies “quickly extinguished the flames,” locked down the pod, and moved inmates to other areas while investigators worked the scene. The sheriff’s office identified the two suspects as Jarick Bourgeois and Derrick Clayton and said both face aggravated arson charges, according to the report.
Troubled Jail Still Under Scrutiny
The incident lands at a tense moment for the Orleans Justice Center, which remains under heavy local and state scrutiny after a mass escape last year and the investigations that followed. A special grand jury probe and subsequent criminal referrals tied to that breakout have been widely reported, including by AP News.
Recent Operational Strains
Jail officials have been battling a run of staffing shortages, contraband problems and security lapses. A recent facility-wide sweep turned up dozens of bags of contraband, and a deputy was arrested after an unloaded firearm was discovered inside the jail, local coverage shows. Reporting by haul of 50 bags of contraband and FOX 8 details those episodes, which help explain why officials say they move quickly when anything flares up inside the facility.
What the Charges Mean…