Before You Mail That Money Order to an Inmate at Christina Melton Crain Unit: A Checklist
The payee line matters. Make your money order or cashier's check payable exactly to:
How to deposit funds, commissary, and payment options
To add money to an offender's account at Christina Melton Crain Unit, mail a money order or cashier's check payable to the Inmate Trust Fund. Include the offender's name and number, along with a completed deposit slip. Send it to Inmate Trust Fund, PO Box 60, Huntsville, TX. Need a deposit slip? Request one by mailing a self-addressed stamped envelope to that same PO Box, or get one from the offender. For automatic deposits, enroll in TDCJ's free monthly ACH debit. Complete the ACH authorization form, attach a voided check, and mail both to Inmate Trust Fund, PO Box 629, Huntsville, TX 77342-0629. ACH debits usually run around the 5th and post around the 10th. Stop/change forms must arrive 3–5 business days before the 5th. Approved fee-based options include Access Corrections, ACE, ECommDirect, JPay, and TouchPay (online or by phone). Senders must provide their name and address.
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The payee line matters. Make your money order or cashier's check payable exactly to:
Money you send to someone at the Christina Melton Crain Unit goes into their TDCJ Inmate Trust Fund account. Here's how to deposit funds—including free and paid options—and what details to include so your money arrives without delays.
Sending money to someone at the Christina Melton Crain Unit works through TDCJ's Inmate Trust Fund system. You'll use the same deposit options available at all TDCJ facilities. Here are your main choices, what each works best for, and the details you need to avoid delays.
Mail only money orders or cashier’s checks payable to the Inmate Trust Fund, and include the offender’s name and number. Don’t mail cash or personal checks; online or phone deposits through approved vendors typically include a service fee.
Mail the deposit slip and funds to Inmate Trust Fund, PO Box 60, Huntsville, TX. You can get deposit slips from the offender, or request one by sending a self-addressed stamped envelope to that same PO Box.
To set up monthly ACH, complete the ACH authorization form, attach a voided check, and mail both to Inmate Trust Fund, PO Box 629, Huntsville, TX 77342-0629. Debits usually happen around the 5th and are credited around the 10th; submit stop/change forms 3–5 business days before the 5th.
A little prep before you leave can save you a wasted trip to Christina Melton Crain Unit. Use this checklist to confirm the basics, bring the right ID, leave prohibited items behind, and plan around the one-visit-per-weekend limit.
Setting up phone calls is usually quick, but a few rules can trip you up during enrollment. Here's how to register your number so you can receive calls from someone at the Christina Melton Crain Unit.
Sending money to someone at the Crain Unit should be simple, but small mistakes can delay or reject a deposit. Here are answers to the most common trust-fund questions—plus safety warnings TDCJ wants families to know.