Two Former Bureau of Prisons Correctional Officers Accused of Smuggling Contraband Each Sentenced to More Than Two Years in Federal Prison

HELENA-WEST HELENA-Robert Cochran and Tejuana Dillard will go from being federal prison guards to federal prison inmates after each was sentenced to 30 months' incarceration in separate cases after getting caught smuggling contraband into the Forrest City Federal Correctional Complex (FCC). Jonathan D. Ross, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, announced the sentences which were handed down on Wednesday, August 19, 2026, by United States District Judge Brian S. Miller.

On December 5, 2023, Cochran, 37, of Forrest City, was indicted by a federal grand jury in a one count Indictment charging him with bribery of a public official. On March 11, 2026, Cochran pleaded guilty to the charge in the Indictment. On June 6, 2024, Dillard, 42, of Wynne, was indicted by a federal grand jury in a two-count Indictment with one count of bribery of a public official and one count of making a false statement to federal agents. On March 11, 2026, Dillard pleaded guilty to making the false statements. There is no parole in the federal system.

An investigation revealed that while Cochran was employed as a correctional officer at Forrest City FCC, he received approximately $58,775 from friends and family of the inmates at the prison to bring contraband, including rolling papers, tobacco, Gucci sunglasses, and over the counter drugs, into the facility. Cochran was captured on video footage in February 2023 leaving bags containing contraband in an office while on duty. After Cochran left the office, an inmate would enter to retrieve the items. Cochran later admitted he was paid to bring items into the prison for inmates.

Through a separate investigation, it was determined that Dillard, who was employed for 13 years as a correctional officer between 2008 and July 2021 at Forrest City FCC, smuggled contraband cigarettes into the prison throughout 2020. Dillard received in total $91,788 to provide the cigarettes to two inmates, who later sold the contraband cigarettes to other inmates in the facility. Dillard, in an interview with federal agents, admitted to smuggling cigarettes while she was employed as a correctional officer, but stated she had only done so "a couple of times." At the time of her interview with the federal agents, Dillard knew the statements she made were false.

These cases were investigated by the Office of the Investigator General, U.S. Department of Justice, and the Federal Bureau of Prisons. These cases were prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Julie Peters.

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