Violent detainee released without court-ordered ankle monitor; search underway, OPSO says

NEW ORLEANS (WVUE) - Officials are asking for the public’s assistance in locating a violent suspect, Lewis Stokes, 37, who was reportedly released prematurely without his court-ordered ankle monitor.

According to the Orleans Parish Sheriff’s Office, Stokes posted bond and was released from custody near midnight on Wednesday, Nov. 15. A condition of his bond is that he be placed on 24/7 house arrest with an ankle monitor.

“However, OPSO staff prematurely released Stokes without the ankle monitor as mandated by court order,” Sheriff Susan Hutson’s office said in an email on Thursday afternoon. “The staff on duty at the time, received a printout of the information recorded in the Docket Master but neglected to address the bail condition and contact the monitoring agency before his release.”

Stokes was originally arrested on Oct. 30 and booked into jail for domestic abuse battery, child endangerment, and simple assault. The New Orleans Police Department previously identified

Stokes is a person of interest in a homicide investigation. Police say a 63-year-old man was found with multiple gunshot wounds on April 8, 2022, in the 1200 block of Sumner Street in Algiers.

In June 2022, the NOPD put out a notice that Stokes was wanted for questioning.

After his release, a spokesperson for the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office stated that Stokes allegedly committed domestic abuse battery in Jefferson Parish, involving either a current or former girlfriend. He is now wanted for domestic abuse battery there as well.

The condition of the woman involved in the Jefferson Parish incident is unknown at this time.

Senior leadership at the Orleans Parish Sheriff’s Office have met to discuss the error in releasing Stokes without proper ankle monitoring. The staff member involved in the oversight has been “formally disciplined.”

Both Orleans and Jefferson Parish authorities are actively searching for Stokes.

If you have information that may be useful, call Crime Stoppers at 504-822-1111.

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