Police have arrested a second man who allegedly tried to smuggle drugs into the Virginia Peninsula Regional Jail in a greeting card.
Christopher Ramsey, 35, of Newport News, turned himself in at the jail Sunday on outstanding warrants for attempted delivery of drugs to a prisoner and conspiracy to deliver drugs to a prisoner, according to James City County Police spokeswoman Stephanie Williams.
Christopher Ramsey is accused of sending opioids in a greeting card to his brother, 31-year-old Tyler Ramsey, who was being held on grand larceny, credit card fraud, racketeering and contempt of court.
Tyler Ramsey was served with warrants for the new charges at the jail Oct. 17. He is also charged with attempted delivery of drugs to a prisoner and conspiracy to deliver drugs to a prisoner.
Police believe Christopher Ramsey put a prescription medical buccal film called Belbuca in the card and attempted to send it to his brother in jail, Williams said. Belbuca is a small dissolvable tab that contains the opioid buprenorphine.
The card was intercepted by jail staff Oct. 6, Williams said.
Williams said the jail recorded a phone conversation between the brothers, during which they had a conversation about mailing the drugs to the facility.
Whether the drugs would be used by Tyler Ramsey or sold in jail is not clear, Williams said.
Jail spokesman Maj. Frank Huotte said Friday the jail screens all incoming mail before delivering it to inmates.
Huotte added the jail was not aware of any other drugs making it past the mail screening to Tyler Ramsey.
Tyler Ramsey is scheduled to appear in the Williamsburg-James City County General District Court at 1 p.m. Nov. 14.
Online court records were not updated to reflect Christopher Ramsey’s arrest as of 1 p.m. Monday.
