Gib Lewis Unit Overview
Gib Lewis Unit, listed by TDCJ as Lewis (GL), is a Correctional Institutions Division prison in Woodville. The TDCJ unit directory identifies it as a male prison in Region I with ACA accreditation since August 2006. It sits in Tyler County, but it is not operated by Tyler County and does not serve as the public booking point for recent county arrests. The county side remains under the Tyler County Sheriff's Office, whose official sheriff page lists Sheriff Bryan Weatherford.
The unit holds sentenced state prisoners assigned by the Texas Department of Criminal Justice after conviction, intake, and classification. TDCJ lists custody levels G1 through G5 and Security Detention. That custody mix makes the prison very different from Tyler County Jail, which holds pretrial detainees, misdemeanor inmates, and people waiting for transfer. A person at Gib Lewis Unit should be searched through TDCJ records, even if the person's case began in Tyler County.
Gib Lewis Unit Contact
The official TDCJ listing places Gib Lewis Unit one mile east of Woodville off Highway 190 on FM 3497. It names Bob Castleberry as senior warden in the inspected directory, with Region I supervision listed through TDCJ. Family, records, and visitation questions should follow TDCJ channels because the prison is a state facility, not a Tyler County Sheriff's Office jail.
Gib Lewis Unit
777 FM 3497
Woodville, TX 75990
(409) 283-8181 (**040)
Texas Department of Criminal Justice, Correctional Institutions Division
TDCJ also identifies the prison's family liaison coordinator as Rebecca Gulley in the unit directory. That role is useful for family contact questions, but official custody facts should still be checked through the TDCJ locator, IVSS, or TDCJ inmate information channels.
Gib Lewis Unit Inmate Search
Use TDCJ Inmate Search to find a sentenced prisoner assigned to Gib Lewis Unit. TDCJ's inmate information page says general inmate location information may be obtained online, by email, or by telephone, and the online search covers location, offenses, and projected release date. IVSS adds notification registration and detail-view options for TDCJ custody.
Do not use Tyler County Jail lookup for a person who is already in Gib Lewis Unit. County custody systems are for local jail status, while TDCJ records follow sentenced prisoners after state intake and assignment. A person may move from Tyler County Jail to TDCJ after conviction and sentencing, but once the transfer occurs, the state locator becomes the correct search path.
- Open the TDCJ inmate search page and choose one or more available fields.
- Search by last name and first name, or use a TDCJ number or SID number when known.
- Review the result for current location and confirm whether it lists Lewis Unit or another TDCJ facility.
- Use TDCJ IVSS View Details and notification registration if ongoing custody updates are needed.
| Search Field | Use | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Last Name | Name search | One or more fields are required by TDCJ search |
| First Name | Name search | Narrows common-name results |
| TDCJ Number | Identifier search | Best when current TDCJ number is known |
| SID Number | Identifier search | State Identification number when available |
| Previous TDCJ Number | Prior-number search | IVSS prior-number search supports partial asterisk matching |
Gib Lewis Unit Visitation
TDCJ visitation rules apply at Gib Lewis Unit. The TDCJ family guide says visitation is generally Saturdays and Sundays between 8:00 AM and 5:30 PM, with possible added days if approved and staffed. Visitors age 18 or older, except attorneys, must be on the approved visitors list. TDCJ also says facilities use advanced scheduling, and for most visits visitors use the TDCJ online Visitation Portal.
Most eligible inmates not in intake, G5, restrictive housing, or lockdown are allowed one visit each week, generally with two adults for two hours. Children under 18 are not counted in the two-adult limit but must be with an approved adult visitor. Adults need current official government ID other than a student ID. Visitors arriving more than 15 minutes late may not be allowed, and all visits end at 5:30 PM regardless of start time.
| Item | TDCJ Rule | Gib Lewis Unit Context |
|---|---|---|
| General days | Saturday and Sunday | Additional days may depend on approval and staffing |
| General window | 8:00 AM-5:30 PM | All visits end by 5:30 PM |
| Scheduling | Advanced scheduling required | Use TDCJ visitation systems for most visits |
| Visitor list | Approval required for most visitors 18 and older | Limit of 10 approved visitors listed in TDCJ guide |
Gib Lewis Unit Mail and Deposits
Mail, phone, and money rules at Gib Lewis Unit follow TDCJ statewide policy rather than Tyler County Jail procedures. The TDCJ family guide should be used for current mail formatting, phone registration, visitation, trust fund, and release information. State prisoners cannot possess money while confined, but may use trust fund accounts for commissary or approved vendor purchases.
TDCJ lists several electronic deposit vendors in the family guide. Vendor options and service fees can vary, so the named vendor path should be checked before sending funds. The county jail's money-order rule for "Tyler County Inmate Trust Fund" does not apply to Gib Lewis Unit because the prison is run by TDCJ.
| Service | TDCJ Detail |
|---|---|
| Trust fund deposits | ACE Cash Express, eCommDirect, Access Corrections, and JPay are listed by TDCJ |
| Commissary | Funds may be used through trust fund accounts and approved vendors |
| Use TDCJ family guide and unit assignment rules | |
| County jail deposits | Do not use Tyler County Jail deposit rules for Lewis Unit prisoners |
Gib Lewis Unit Programs
TDCJ publishes detailed program and operation information for Gib Lewis Unit. Education programs include literacy, Adult Basic Education, GED, Special Education, CHANGES or pre-release, and Cognitive Intervention. Career and technology programs include Electrical Trades, HVAC and refrigeration, and Mill and Cabinetmaking. The unit also has a Faith-Based Dormitory, adult education when available, peer education, reentry planning, chaplaincy, and GO KIDS.
The unit directory lists a woodworking shop, unit maintenance, a unit garden, security horses, security pack canines, and scent-specific canines. Community work projects serve county agencies, area school districts, and Habitat for Humanity. Volunteer initiatives include substance abuse education, support groups, mentoring, and religious or faith-based activities. These programs should not be applied to Tyler County Jail, which has much more limited public program information in the researched county materials.
Gib Lewis Unit Medical Services
TDCJ lists medical capabilities at Gib Lewis Unit that are specific to the prison. The directory names ambulatory medical, dental, and mental health services. It also lists 20 wheelchair-accommodated high-security cells, Digital Medical Services, electronic specialty clinics, chronic care clinics, single-level services, assisted disability services showers, and CPAP accommodating housing. Medical care is managed by UTMB, according to the TDCJ unit page.
The unit also has the Administrative Segregation Intermediate Care Program as a special treatment program. Because custody levels include G1 through G5 and Security Detention, program access, visits, and movement can depend on individual classification and housing status. Classification means the prison's security and supervision assessment for where a person is housed and what activities are available.
Gib Lewis Unit Source View
The TDCJ Lewis Unit directory page is the matching official source for the prison's address, capacity, custody levels, programs, accreditation, and operations.
The directory screenshot supports the state-prison lookup path because it shows Lewis Unit as a TDCJ prison with TDCJ programs and capacity, not a county jail roster source.
Gib Lewis Unit Search Limits
Gib Lewis Unit is the wrong place to search for a person just arrested in Tyler County. Recent bookings, bond questions, county visitation, local jail calls, and county booking records belong to Tyler County Jail and the sheriff's custody or records channels. The Tyler County Sheriff's jail page is the local source for that county jail path, and the sheriff's open-records request form is the written route for existing jail records. Lewis Unit is for sentenced state-prison custody after TDCJ receives and assigns the prisoner.
If a person was convicted in Tyler County and then transferred to TDCJ, the county jail may only explain the transfer or former local hold. TDCJ then controls current location, release projections, prison visitation approval, trust fund accounts, and prison mail rules. For federal custody, use BOP. For immigration custody, use ICE ODLS.
Note: Confirm location through TDCJ before travel, since a state prisoner can be reassigned from Lewis Unit to another TDCJ facility.