A correctional officer was sentenced on March 11 to 10 years in federal prison for trafficking methamphetamine in the Eastern District of Texas, according to U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs.
The sentencing of Martel Devante Gilliam, age 22 and from Beaumont, follows his guilty plea to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. U.S. District Judge Marcia A. Crone handed down the sentence.
Court information showed that in March 2024, Gilliam, who worked at the Federal Correctional Complex in Beaumont, was identified as a source of illegal drugs within the prison. On March 8, after reporting to work, a canine alerted authorities to narcotics on Gilliam’s vehicle during an open-air sniff. A subsequent search uncovered about 125 grams of methamphetamine, 28 grams of cocaine, 459 grams of synthetic marijuana, vacuum-sealed packages containing tobacco and marijuana, $5,700 in cash, and a pistol.
The case is part of Operation Take Back America. The initiative aims to use all resources available to the Department of Justice to address illegal immigration and eliminate cartels and transnational criminal organizations while protecting communities from violent crime.
The investigation involved the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Bureau of Prisons, and Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Russell James prosecuted the case.
