Correctional officer sentenced to 10 years for trafficking meth in federal prison

BEAUMONT, Texas - A correctional officer has been sentenced to 10 years in federal prison for trafficking methamphetamine in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs.

Martel Devante Gilliam, 22, of Beaumont, pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and was sentenced to 120 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Marcia A. Crone on March 11, 2026.

According to information presented in court, in March 2024, Gilliam, a correctional officer at the Federal Correctional Complex (FCC) in Beaumont, was identified as a source of supply for illegal drugs at the prison. On March 8, 2024, after Gilliam reported to work, a canine alerted to the presence of narcotics on Gilliam's vehicle during an open-air sniff. A search of the vehicle revealed approximately 125 grams of methamphetamine; 28 grams of cocaine; 459 grams of synthetic marijuana; vacuum sealed packages of tobacco and marijuana; $5,700 cash; and a pistol.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.

This case was investigated by the FBI, Bureau of Prisons, and the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Russell James.

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