A St. Patrick’s Day undercover sting at the Sheriff Perry Hall Inmate Detention Facility has ended with fresh felony charges for three men accused of running a narcotics operation behind bars. The Flagler County Sheriff’s Office (FCSO) Special Investigations Unit launched the probe after receiving tips that inmates were peddling drugs within the jail, specifically using religious services as a cover for their trades.
Investigators identified 32-year-old Joshua Siedel and 30-year-old Caleb Tucker as the primary distributors in the facility. According to detectives, the pair spent weeks coordinating transactions, often using coffee packets as a form of currency.
The operation reached a breaking point during a Tuesday evening church service when deputies moved in. They reportedly witnessed Stephen Horton, 46, handing over coffee packets to Siedel in exchange for Suboxone. Siedel then allegedly passed the “payment” to Tucker for concealment.
A subsequent sweep of the jail cells turned up Suboxone packaged for sale in Siedel’s quarters, while a search of Tucker’s cell revealed residue that tested positive for fentanyl.
Investigators believe the Suboxone originated from “pharmaceutical diversion,” where an inmate prescribed the medication for addiction recovery instead sold it to others in exchange for commissary snacks like cookies and chips.
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Sheriff Rick Staly did not hold back when discussing the arrests, noting the irony of the timing.
“This guy thought he was the El Chapo of the Green Roof Inn, but luck ran out for him and his accomplices this St. Patrick’s Day,” Staly said. “Now they’ll rack themselves up plenty of prison time, all for some cookies and chips. These dirtbags thought they could distribute drugs inside the Green Roof Inn. We don’t tolerate poison peddlers or illegal drugs in the community, and I sure as hell won’t tolerate it in our jail.”
The three men involved were already facing serious legal trouble prior to this week. Siedel, in jail since September 2025, now faces new counts of possession with intent to distribute and introducing contraband into a correctional facility.
Tucker, who was originally held on burglary and fentanyl charges, faces new counts of fentanyl possession and the sale of a controlled substance.
Horton, who has a history of 21 prior arrests, including grand theft and domestic battery, is now charged with tampering with evidence and possession of a controlled substance without a prescription.
While the investigation remains active, the Sheriff’s Office confirmed there is currently no evidence suggesting that any jail employees or outside contractors assisted the inmates in their alleged scheme.
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