Jailhouse Drug Smuggling by Mail Lands 3 in Hot Water

Getting prescription drugs by mail from a pharmacy might be commonplace, but attempting the same type of operation with prisoners at a county jail can lead to big trouble.

A 33-year-old St. Petersburg man found that out recently when he was arrested along with two inmates at the Pinellas County Jail. The three are accused of running a drug smuggling operation that was responsible for the postal delivery of Suboxone into the jail population.

The investigation into the possible smuggling ring began on Oct. 18 when deputies received a tip about the operation. Through the course of their investigation, they discovered that Joseph Thomas Gibson of St. Pete was responsible for mailing the drugs to the facility, an email to media from the sheriff’s office stated.

Those special deliveries Gibon is accused of sending were addressed to two inmates: Christopher Blanchard, 35, and Jonathan Bytautas, 31.

The investigation came to a head on Halloween when two parcels arrived addressed to Blanchard and Bytautas. Deputies inspected them and found Suboxone concealed in the seal part of the envelopes.

The two men had conspiracy to introduce contraband charges added to their records for their trouble.

Deputies caught up with Gibson Wednesday. He now faces introduction of contraband and conspiracy to introduce contraband charges.

He’s since joined Blanchard and Bytautas at the Pinellas County Jail.

Bytautas of Clearwater was being held at the jail initially on a vehicular homicide charge.

Blanchard is also from Clearwater. His initial charges included trafficking in hydrocodone.

Gibson had bonded out of jail on three attempted murder charges back in September. He is still awaiting trial on those charges and now the additional ones, according to jail records.

Photo Credit: Bytautas, Blanchard and Gibson/Pinellas County Jail