Eric S. Patrick, a 42-year-old federal prison chaplain from Nederland, Texas, has pleaded guilty to bribery in a scheme that turned his religious office into a criminal enterprise. The announcement came today from Acting U.S. Attorney Brit Featherston in the Eastern District of Texas, exposing a breach of trust behind prison walls at the U.S. Penitentiary in Beaumont.
Patrick pleaded guilty to an Information charging him with bribery of a public official. The hearing took place before U.S. Magistrate Judge Zack Hawthorn. As a chaplain employed by the U.S. Bureau of Prisons, Patrick exploited his access and authority to profit from inmates, betraying both his role and federal responsibilities.
Court documents reveal that in July 2015, investigators seized two gallon bags of tobacco and rolling papers from inmates during a routine search. What followed was a criminal investigation that traced the contraband directly to Patrick. Rather than offering spiritual guidance, he was running a smuggling operation, funneling tobacco and cigarettes into the prison under the guise of pastoral visits.
To cover his tracks, Patrick set up multiple scam post office boxes to receive and redirect the illicit goods. He charged inmates $1,500 per delivery—a steep price for contraband peddled by a man sworn to serve with integrity. The scam ran for months before internal detection and federal scrutiny brought it down.
Under federal statutes, Patrick now faces up to 15 years in federal prison. While the maximum sentence is set by Congress, actual sentencing will depend on advisory guidelines and other statutory factors determined by the court. A presentence investigation is currently underway by the U.S. Probation Office, with a sentencing hearing to be scheduled afterward.
The case was jointly investigated by the Department of Justice – Office of the Inspector General, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and the Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant U.S. Attorney John Craft handled the prosecution, underscoring the federal gravity of corruption within the prison system. The fall of a chaplain turned contraband courier sends a stark message: no uniform is bulletproof against justice.
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Key Facts
- State: Texas
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Public Corruption
- Source: Official Source ↗
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