Two Former Forrest City Federal Prison Officers Sentenced in Bribery Cases

HELENA-WEST HELENA, Ark. — Two former correctional officers at the Federal Correctional Complex in Forrest City were each sentenced Wednesday to 30 months in federal prison in unrelated contraband cases.

U.S. District Judge Brian Miller imposed no fine or supervised release in either case. The sentencings were first reported by The Wynne Progress.

Tejuana Dillard, 41, of Wynne, was indicted in June 2024 on one count each of bribery of a public official and making false statements.

Authorities said Dillard smuggled cigarettes into the prison for two inmates throughout 2020 and received nearly $92,000 from their family members. She later lied to investigators about why an individual had sent her money.

Dillard pleaded guilty in March to making a false statement in a matter within the jurisdiction of a federal agency.

Robert Cochran, 37, of Forrest City, was indicted in December 2023 on one count of bribery of a public official.

Cochran admitted accepting $58,775 in cash and wire transfers from inmates’ friends and relatives in exchange for smuggling contraband into the prison. The items included tobacco, rolling papers, over-the-counter drugs and Gucci sunglasses.

Cochran pleaded guilty to bribery in March.