Inmate Pleads Guilty to Possessing Drugs at FCI Beckley

BECKLEY, W.Va. - Quantel Saunders, 31, an inmate, pleaded guilty today to possession of contraband in a federal correctional institution.

According to court documents and statements made in court, Saunders was an inmate at the Federal Correctional Institution (FCI) Beckley on October 13, 2024, when staff conducted a search of his person following a visitation. Staff found a quantity of tetrahydrocannabinol, also known as THC, and cocaine on Saunders during the search.

Saunders is scheduled to be sentenced on December 11, 2026, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000.

United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Prisons.

United States Magistrate Judge Omar J. Aboulhosn presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Brian D. Parsons is prosecuting the case.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACERLinks to other government and non-government sites will typically appear with the "external link" icon to indicate that you are leaving the Department of Justice website when you click the link. by searching for Case No. 5:25-cr-148.

###