Outgoing Orleans Parish Sheriff Susan Hutson, aide indicted on malfeasance, obstruction charges

NEW ORLEANS (WVUE) – Outgoing Orleans Parish Sheriff Susan Hutson was charged Wednesday (April 29) in a 30-count indictment alleging malfeasance, falsifying public records and obstruction of justice, according to Attorney General Liz Murrill’s office.

Orleans Parish Sheriff Susan Hudson was booked at Jefferson Parish Correctional Center on Wednesday evening.(Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office)

Hutson, 59, was indicted Wednesday by an Orleans Parish special grand jury. The criminal charges she faces include:

• Counts 1-14: Malfeasance in office
• Counts 15-18: Conspiracy to commit malfeasance in office
• Counts 19-21: Filing or maintaining false public records
• Counts 22-24: Conspiracy to commit filing or maintaining false public records
• Counts 25-27: Obstruction of justice
• Counts 28-30: Conspiracy to commit obstruction of justice

Hutson received only 17 percent of the vote last October in her bid for re-election to a second term. Her lone term was marked by controversies, a jailbreak that drew international attention, and calls for her resignation.

The Orleans Parish Sheriff’s Office did not immediately reply to a request for comment on the charges.

In a farewell address to staff on Tuesday, Hutson insisted the escape of 10 inmates in the state’s largest-known jailbreak last May 16 was “not going to define me.” But Murrill said her agency’s investigation into that massive security failure eventually led to the criminal charges returned by the grand jury.

Murrill said in a statement, “Nearly a year ago, I made a commitment to the people of New Orleans and the people of our state that those responsible for the Orleans Parish prison break would be held accountable. Since that day, through the hard work of my office, along with the Louisiana State Police and our many federal, state and local law enforcement partners, every escapee is behind bars, and others who facilitated and enabled the escape are currently being prosecuted.

“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.”

Sheriff-elect Michelle Woodfork is to be sworn in and assume control of the office and Orleans Justice Center jail next Monday (May 4).

“I have not yet had the opportunity to review the indictment in full,” Woodfork said in a statement. “I ran for sheriff to bring a new era of leadership and accountability. And on election night, the people of New Orleans chose a new direction for this office. Since then, my team has been working diligently to ensure we are ready to lead effectively from Day 1.

“This Monday, I will assume leadership of the sheriff’s office with a firm commitment to accountability, transparency and integrity.”

Murrill said she was looking forward to collaborating with Woodfork.

“As my prosecutors move forward with this case, I continue to have productive conversations with Sheriff-elect Michelle Woodfork on how to improve operations, secure the facility and build in basic financial oversight that complies with state law,“ Murrill said. ”I am confident in her commitment to implement the difficult changes needed to reform the jail.”

Bianka Brown, the chief financial officer of the Orleans Parish Sheriff’s Office, was indicted on 20 counts by a special grand jury that charged her with malfeasance, falsifying public records, obstruction of justice and other charges.(Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office)

In addition to Hutson, the grand jury also charged top aide Bianka Brown, who has served as the OPSO’s chief financial officer. Brown’s charges include:

• Counts 31-34: Malfeasance in office
• Counts 35-38: Conspiracy to commit malfeasance in office
• Counts 39-41: Filing or maintaining false public records
• Counts 42-44: Conspiracy to commit filing or maintaining false public records
• Counts 45-47: Obstruction of justice
• Counts 48-50: Conspiracy to commit obstruction of justice

Bond was set at $300,000 for Hutson and $200,000 for Brown. Each was ordered to surrender her passport and was barred from leaving the state while the charges are pending.

Both Hutson and Brown were booked at Jefferson Parish Correctional Center on Wednesday evening. Both have since met bond requirements and have been released, according to the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office.

Hutson and Brown also are expected to appear Thursday morning at a status hearing scheduled for 9 a.m. before Section J ad hoc Judge Franz Zibilich.

“This is shocking. I didn’t anticipate this coming,” said crime watchdog Rafael Goyeneche, president of the Metropolitan Crime Commission. “What is noteworthy is that she is the first female sheriff elected in the city of New Orleans. And she is going to be the first female sheriff that leaves office under indictment.”

Hutson had never worked in a jail when she ran and upset four-term former Sheriff Marlin Gusman in 2021. Hutson also lacked law enforcement experience, previously working as the city’s Independent Police Monitor and as an attorney focused on police oversight.

Related coverage

Hutson says massive jailbreak will not define her single term as Orleans Parish sheriff

Woodfork elected Orleans sheriff as voters oust Hutson after troubled term

Former Sheriff Gusman slams Orleans jail security as authorities continue manhunt for remaining fugitives

Ten inmates escape from Orleans jail in overnight breach

Orleans Parish jailbreak

Hutson’s single term was marked by controversies over apparent cronyism in hiring, installing a potentially unqualified warden, wasteful spending on Carnival season hotel rooms, the alleged targeting of whistleblowers, a failed push for a millage hike, clashes with the city council over the OPSO budget despite an unspent reserve and numerous instances of deputies smuggling contraband into the Orleans Justice Center jail.

Hutson threw herself a victory parade touting herself by the Star Wars slogan “A New Hope” when she took office. But the dysfunction under her administration reached new heights in 2025 with the jailbreak that made it apparent to most she would not survive the fall election.

Ten inmates escaped from the Orleans Justice Center jail under Hutson’s watch last May 16, in what Gov. Jeff Landry called the largest jailbreak in the history of Louisiana. All were eventually recaptured and transferred to the Louisiana State Penitentiary at Angola.

The brazen escape prompted memes, merch and calls for Hutson to resign, which went unheeded. Federal monitors had warned Hutson at least a year before the escape about dangerous lapses in the jail’s supervision and inmate segregation.

Hutson preferred to refer to those housed in the jail as “residents,” not inmates.

Last July, about 2½ months after the jailbreak, Hutson’s deputies mistakenly released the wrong inmate. Khalil Bryan spent five weeks at large before he was recaptured in Texas by US Marshals.

And last August, Hutson was found in contempt of court by an Orleans Parish judge for refusing to transport inmates to the criminal courthouse and staff deputies there on weekends. Hutson eventually relented on the judge’s demands and appealed her conviction.

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