BEAUMONT, TEXAS — This is an official press release from the U.S. Department of Justice (Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF)), published as received.

BEAUMONT, Texas – A Beaumont convicted felon has been found guilty of a federal firearms violation in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs.

David Michael Gilliam, 45, was found guilty by a jury of being a felon in possession of a firearm following a trial before U.S. District Judge Marcia A. Crone on August 27, 2026. 

According to information presented in court, on November 15, 2024, local law enforcement responded to a burglary alarm at an apartment complex on Magnolia Road in Beaumont.  As the officer arrived, he observed an apartment with broken windows and a door that appeared to have been forced open.  Upon entering the apartment, the officer encountered Gilliam, who stated he had been evicted from the apartment the previous day.  Gilliam gave consent to be searched, which resulted in the discovery of a firearm in a cross-body bag he was wearing.  Further investigation revealed Gilliam was a convicted felon and prohibited from owning or possessing firearms or ammunition. 

Gilliam faces up to 15 years in federal prison at sentencing. The maximum statutory sentence prescribed by Congress is provided here for information purposes, as the sentencing will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.  A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the U.S. Probation Office.

Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the Department of Justice’s nationwide initiative that brings federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public safety partners together to coordinate efforts to combat violent crime and make communities safe. Coordinated by U.S. Attorneys’ offices in each of the 94 federal districts, PSN is tailored to particular communities to strategically address specific violent crime and public safety challenges. As a key component of Operation Take Back America, PSN serves a central role in the Department’s commitment to make our country safe. PSN emphasizes three core principles: rapid federal response to violent crime and criminal offenders; strong, strategic partnerships among law enforcement at all levels; and accountability and deterrence through the prosecution of the most serious, readily provable offenses and other strategies. These efforts complement and strengthen President Trump’s Homeland Security Task Forces, ensuring a comprehensive federal response to the most pressing public safety issues facing communities.

This case was investigated by the Beaumont Police Department and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Russell James and Chris Jackson.

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