Terrell L. Kellum, Escape from Federal Custody, Louisiana 2020

MONROE, La. – A man who thought he could outrun the law has been brought to justice, but it’s too late for a lighter sentence. Terrell L. Kellum, 35, of Shreveport, Louisiana, was sentenced by United States District Judge Terry A. Doughty to 24 months in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, for escaping from federal custody.

In 2016, Kellum pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court to being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm and was sentenced to 57 months in federal prison. After serving the majority of his time with the Bureau of Prisons, he was transferred in December 2019 to a residential halfway house in Monroe to complete his federal sentence.

But on March 10, 2020, Kellum decided to make a break for it, leaving the halfway house at approximately 10:00 a.m. and telling staff he was going to work. However, officers with the Monroe Police Department contacted staff at the halfway house wanting to question Kellum in connection with illegal check cashing activity. It turned out that Kellum never showed up for work that day, nor did he ever report back to the halfway house, and he was placed on escape status.

Deputies with the United States Marshal’s Service searched the area for Kellum, but he was nowhere to be found. It would take two years for Kellum to be arrested, in August 2022, in Tarrant County, Texas, and returned to federal custody.

The case was investigated by the United States Marshal’s Service and Monroe Police Department, and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Cytheria D. Jernigan. It’s a reminder that no matter where you think you can hide, the law will eventually catch up with you.

Terrell L. Kellum’s story is a cautionary tale of the consequences of breaking the law. He thought he could escape the system, but in the end, he was brought to justice and will now face the consequences of his actions.

As Kellum begins his 24-month sentence, it’s clear that he will have plenty of time to think about his decision to escape from federal custody. The question is, will he learn from his mistakes and turn his life around, or will he continue down a path of crime and violence?

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