Girlfriend Of Escaped Inmate Arrested For Alleged Role In Louisiana Jailbreak
The U.S. Marshals Service arrested 28-year-old Darriana Burton on Monday, accusing her of helping her boyfriend, convicted murderer Derrick Groves, escape from the Orleans Parish Justice Center.
Burton, a former employee of the Orleans Parish Sheriff's Office (OPSO), faces felony charges of conspiracy to commit simple escape.
Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill announced Burton's arrest, stating, 'We will continue to pursue anyone and everyone who has aided and abetted these criminals. We will find you, arrest you, and prosecute you to the full extent of the law.'
'I'd like to thank the U.S. Marshals Service for executing our warrant for this woman,' she added, per Fox 4 KDFW. 'We will arrest all aiders and abettors, and we will eventually get Antoine Massey and Derrick Groves back to prison where they belong.'
An arrest warrant was issued for Burton on May 27 after authorities confirmed she communicated with Groves, with whom she had an 'on-again, off-again relationship' for three years and is believed to be currently dating. An arrest affidavit states Burton coordinated contact between Groves and individuals outside the jail, sharing information related to the escape.
Melaine Talia of the New Orleans Police and Justice Foundation said, 'As I understand, just two days prior to the escape, Groves and his girlfriend had communication via the tablet that was issued through the Orleans Justice Center.'
Talia added, 'I don't think [it's] surprising that someone would help an individual that has that violent history, and is known for using violence to get what he wants,' WDSU News reported.
The tablets, introduced in February through the Smartcom program, allow inmates free 15-minute daily phone calls and 20-minute weekly video calls to reduce jail violence and improve quality of life, according to OPSO documents.
Burton worked at OPSO from August 2022 to March 2023 but was fired for allegedly bringing contraband into the facility. In 2023, she faced charges of malfeasance and bringing contraband into jail, but the Orleans Parish District Attorney's Office refused the charges after Burton completed a pretrial diversion program.
The district attorney's office issued a statement explaining, 'The charges against Ms. Burton were thoroughly reviewed by a senior screening attorney, who considered all available evidence at that time, the specific conduct alleged, and Ms. Burton's lack of criminal history. Ms. Burton was ultimately offered, and successfully completed, a pretrial diversion program.'
'The contraband in question was not actually introduced into the secure area of the facility. According to the incident report, Ms. Burton left the contraband inside a bag at the facility entrance and did not follow through with delivery.'
The statement added, 'As with all cases, our office's priority is to evaluate whether we can meet our legal burden of proof at trial, along with other relevant factors. The present matters remain under active review by the appropriate agencies. Any and all persons found to be complicit in the escape or in aiding escapees will be fully prosecuted and held accountable for their actions.'
Groves and another inmate, Antoine Massey, remain at large.
Brian Fair of the U.S. Marshals Office said, 'Our investigation continues, and they could be anywhere. They could be in New Orleans, or they could be out of the New Orleans area.'
Talia emphasized, 'They are not going to give up; law enforcement is on it,' WDSU reported.
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