In a crackdown on contraband inside federal prisons, seven inmates at the Seagoville Federal Correctional Institution, located southeast of Dallas, have been charged with possessing prohibited items. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Texas announced the indictments, which include charges related to drugs, cell phones, and child sexual abuse material.
“The Northern District of Texas will not tolerate contraband inside federal prisons, period,” said U.S. Attorney Leigha Simonton. “Inmates who handle drugs, phones, or child sexual abuse material risk having significant time added to their sentences. The safety of prison guards, other inmates, and even those outside prison walls depends on our enforcement of these rules.”
Dr. Scarlet Grant, the warden of Seagoville, emphasized the danger that contraband poses. “When cell phones and narcotics are introduced into a prison, it causes significant safety and security concerns,” she said. “Deterring contraband remains a top priority of the Federal Bureau of Prisons.”
The charges come as part of an ongoing effort to secure federal prisons from illegal items that could endanger staff and inmates. FBI Dallas Acting Special Agent in Charge James Godley added, “Contraband largely serves to facilitate criminal acts in prison and poses real and potential danger to personnel, other prisoners, and the community at large.”
The inmates charged in the indictments are as follows:
- Isaac Martinez, charged with possessing methamphetamine
- Nicholas Evans, charged with possessing buprenorphine and possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance
- Hugo Castaneda, charged with two counts of possession of methamphetamine and one count of possession with intent to distribute
- Abdullah El Hage, charged with possession of methamphetamine
- Matthew Rodriguez, charged with possessing methamphetamine and a cell phone
- Deaunte Lakeith Johunkin, charged with possessing K2 and attempted possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance
- Richard King, charged with possession of child pornography (printed, black-and-white sexually explicit photos of prepubescent girls)
All seven inmates are housed at the low-security Seagoville Federal Correctional Institution, which holds nearly 1,800 male offenders. If convicted, they could face additional prison time.
Earlier this year, two men were charged with attempting to smuggle cell phones and marijuana into the yard of a federal prison in Fort Worth via a mesh bag affixed to a drone. Prison staff found the mesh bag hanging from a parachute cord on the side of a building after being notified of a drone in their airspace.
Joseph Mora and Reza Ayari both pleaded guilty to attempt to provide contraband to a prisoner and were sentenced to 58 and 50 months, respectively, in federal prison. In Mora’s case, the Court ordered his 58-month sentence to be served consecutive to any sentence imposed in his other federal case.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Dallas Field Office conducted the investigations with the cooperation of the Federal Bureau of Prisons. Assistant U.S. Attorney Luis Suarez is prosecuting the Seagoville inmates’ contraband cases and Assistant U.S. Attorney Levi Thomas prosecuted the Fort Worth drone case.
