Gideon pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine in a case that ended on Oct. 18, 2023. The defendant faced multiple drug-related charges across state and federal courts in East Texas, with the federal conviction adding to his existing legal troubles in Marshall, Lufkin, and Gilmer.
Judge Kernodle imposed the 16-year-plus sentence while recommending that the Bureau of Prisons provide drug treatment and designate Gideon to either Fort Worth FMC or Texarkana FCI if eligible. The court ordered Gideon to forfeit $10,000 in cash 'together with all interest and proceeds traceable thereto,' and dismissed all remaining counts on the government's motion.
The sentence will run concurrently with Gideon's state cases for possession of controlled substances in the 71st Judicial District Court in Marshall and the 217th District Court in Lufkin, as well as a manufacturing and delivery charge in the 115th District Court in Gilmer. Gideon's attorney John Brandt Thorson represented him throughout the proceedings.
Upon release, Gideon will face five years of supervised release with mandatory drug testing and treatment requirements. The court also imposed a five-year ban on federal benefits under federal drug trafficking statutes, though the prohibition excludes Social Security, welfare, and similar programs.