The wide-ranging federal staged wrecks murder trial entered its third week Monday, with jurors hearing testimony from jailhouse informants.
Disbarred attorney Sean Alfortish and accused hitman Leon Parker are facing charges related to the 2020 killing of federal witness Cornelius Garrison in the staged wrecks investigation.
Jurors heard testimony Monday from two jailhouse witnesses about conversations and relationships connected to Alfortish and Ryan Harris.
Harris has been convicted for his role in the murder of Garrison and for staging wrecks. Harris was sentenced to prison for a duration that doesn’t exceed 40 years.
Mark Fridge, who is currently being held in Lafourche Parish, testified about what he described as a close, “father-son” relationship with Alfortish.
Fridge testified to a three-way phone call from July 2025 where he said Alfortish was “stressing.”
He also testified about receiving commissary money and other favors that Fridge believed were intended to gain his loyalty.
During questioning, Fridge confirmed that he had been interviewed by the government in connection with the case. He said Alfortish had always maintained his innocence, a claim Fridge described as “nauseating.”
Jurors also watched a video deposition recorded in September 2025 featuring Cesar A. Lobo-Ramos, who testified through an interpreter while facing deportation to Honduras.
Alfortish was present during the deposition, along with his attorney, Shaun Clarke, and attorneys representing Vanessa Motta and Jason Giles, who both have been convicted in the scheme.
Lobo-Ramos said he was housed in the St. Tammany Parish jail from March to October 2024 after initially being held in Jefferson Parish. He testified that he overheard conversations involving Harris, whom he said other inmates called “Red.”
According to Lobo-Ramos, Harris said he needed to get out of jail and was “not going down” and would be free. Lobo-Ramos also claimed he heard Harris discuss setting up a white man to secure his release.
Lobo-Ramos said the conversation took place among a group of inmates who were approximately 10 feet away. When asked whether Harris was the person speaking, Lobo-Ramos responded, “It was him.”
After being transferred to the St. Charles Parish jail in October 2024, Lobo-Ramos said he met Alfortish and told him about the alleged conversation.
“I told Alfortish I would tell the truth,” Lobo-Ramos said.
Prosecutors questioned Lobo-Ramos about why he did not report the alleged statements when he first heard them. He acknowledged that he never contacted police, the FBI or other authorities and did not disclose the information until months later, after meeting Alfortish.
Prosecutors also noted that Lobo-Ramos later met with Sean Toomey, an attorney for Motta.
When pressed for details about what Harris allegedly said regarding staged wrecks, Lobo-Ramos called it “just a word I overheard,” but maintained that Harris made the comment.
Lobo-Ramos denied being promised anything or threatened in exchange for his testimony.
Prosecutors also questioned him about his criminal history. Lobo-Ramos was convicted of sexual battery in Jefferson Parish in 2011, removed from the United States in 2018, and later convicted of illegally reentering the country. At the time of the deposition, he was expected to be deported again to Honduras.
Another jail informant, Derek Franklin, testified that he was in jail with Parker in St. Tammany Parish.
Franklin testified that Parker admitted to him that him killing Garrison was “a professional hit” and that a lawyer offered him $100,000 to do it.
According to Franklin, Parker told him he “would have gotten away with the murder of the century” and that it was the biggest case in New Orleans.
Franklin testified that Parker also was involved in staged wrecks, and that he could get more money if a doctor cut into him.
According to Franklin, Parker also claimed to have back pain and that his medical records would “help him beat the murder.”
Franklin said on the stand that he never saw Parker taken any medication in jail for back pain.
READ MORE:Two jailhouse informants testify in New Orleans staged wrecks murder trial
