Tamillian Young, a former correctional officer with the Shelby County Division of Corrections, was sentenced on July 28 to 24 months in federal prison for providing marijuana and other contraband to an inmate at the facility. The sentencing was announced by D. Michael Dunavant, United States Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee.
Court information showed that Young smuggled a package containing approximately 100 grams of marijuana, cigarettes, vape devices, and what appeared to be 18 Oxycodone pills into the facility on October 27, 2025. During an interview, Young admitted she brought these items for an inmate. In addition to her prison term, U.S. District Court Judge Brian C. Lea ordered two years of supervised release following incarceration; there is no parole in the federal system.
Dunavant said, “Official misconduct and corruption by correctional officers in positions of trust and authority undermine the foundational integrity of our government institutions and compromise the safety and security of correctional facilities. This sentence will hopefully deter other corrupt behavior, restore the public’s faith in honest officers, and send a message that nobody is above the law.” Tyreece Miller, United States Marshal for the Western District of Tennessee, said, “The U.S. Marshals Service is committed to ensuring that those who are entrusted with the care and custody of federal detainees uphold the highest standards of conduct and obey the law, not break it.”
Special Agent in Charge Terence G. Reilly of the FBI Nashville Field Office said, “By smuggling drugs and other contraband into the Shelby County Division of Corrections, Tamillian Young betrayed the public trust and jeopardized the safety and security of the entire institution for her own personal gain… The FBI remains committed to rooting out public corruption and working with our partners to protect the integrity of our correctional institutions.”
The case was investigated by multiple agencies including Shelby County Sheriff’s Office (SCSO), United States Marshals Service (USMS), and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Assistant United States Attorney Lynn Crum along with Special Assistant United States Attorney Yosef Hochheiser prosecuted on behalf of the government.
The U.S. Attorney for this district advances community safety through federal law enforcement efforts; it is one among 93 offices under Department of Justice jurisdiction serving western Tennessee from Memphis and Jackson locations while handling prosecution as well as defense roles in civil matters, according to the official website.