An inmate at the Virginia Peninsula Regional Jail and his brother are both facing felony charges after a card was sent to the jail containing opioids.
Tyler Ramsey, 31, and his brother Christopher Ramsey, 35, are each charged with attempted delivery of drugs to a prisoner and conspiracy to deliver drugs to a prisoner, according to James City County Police spokeswoman Stephanie Williams.
Police believe Christopher Ramsey put a schedule III controlled substance in a card and sent it to his brother who is being held at the jail. The prescription drug, a medical buccal film called Belbuca, is a small dissolvable tab that contains the opioid buprenorphine.
The card was intercepted at the jail on Oct. 6.
Williams said the jail recorded a phone conversation between the brothers, during which they had a conversation about mailing the drugs to the jail.
Whether the drugs would be used by Tyler Ramsey or sold in jail is not clear, Williams said.
Jail spokesman Maj. Frank Huotte said the drugs were found in a greeting card. The jail screens all incoming mail before it is delivered to the inmates, he said.
“We are not aware of any other drugs getting through to this inmate prior to this incident,” Huotte said.
The warrants on Christopher Ramsey, a Newport News resident, had not yet been served as of noon Friday.
Huotte said Tyler Ramsey was being held on grand larceny, credit card fraud, racketeering and contempt of court when the drugs were allegedly mailed.
Tyler Ramsey is scheduled to appear in the Williamsburg-James City County General District Court at 1 p.m. Nov. 14.
