An undercover narcotics investigation inside the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office detention facility has led to the arrest of three inmates who allegedly ran a drug distribution operation inside the jail — including deals conducted during inmate church services.
How It Started
The Flagler County Sheriff’s Office launched the investigation after receiving a tip about the possible sale of narcotics by inmates within the Sheriff Perry Hall Inmate Detention Facility. On March 17, the FCSO Special Investigations Unit — with assistance from the Problem Area Crime Enforcement Team, Criminal Intelligence Unit, K-9 Unit, and detention deputies — carried out an undercover operation that resulted in three arrests.
What Investigators Found
Detectives identified inmates Joshua Siedel, 32, of Daytona Beach, and Caleb Tucker, 30, of Bunnell, as the primary drug distributors inside the facility. Investigators determined that Tucker had received payments from multiple inmates and had facilitated several transactions with Siedel over the course of weeks. Many of those transactions took place during inmate church services.
During a Tuesday evening church service, detention deputies intercepted a transaction in which inmate Stephen Horton, 46, of Flagler Beach, used coffee packets as currency to purchase Suboxone from Siedel. Siedel then passed the coffee packets to Tucker for concealment.
Cell searches conducted as part of the operation turned up Suboxone packaged for distribution inside Siedel’s cell and residue that later tested positive for fentanyl inside Tucker’s cell.
Investigators determined the Suboxone had entered the facility through pharmaceutical diversion — meaning an inmate who was legally prescribed the medication through contracted jail medical services to help treat addiction had instead been distributing it to other inmates in exchange for commissary items such as food and snacks.
Sheriff Rick Staly addressed the arrests bluntly. “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.”
Charges
Siedel had originally been arrested in September 2025 on charges of criminal mischief, failure to appear, and four counts of probation violation. He now faces additional charges of possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute, sale of a Schedule III controlled substance, and possession of Schedule III contraband by an inmate in a correctional institution.
Tucker had originally been arrested in November 2025 on charges including second-degree burglary, possession of drug paraphernalia, tampering with evidence, and possession of fentanyl with intent to sell, manufacture, or deliver. He now faces additional charges of possession of fentanyl and sale of a Schedule III controlled substance by an inmate in a correctional institution.
Horton had originally been arrested in September 2025 on charges including trafficking fentanyl, two counts of possession of a controlled substance with intent to sell, and possession of drug paraphernalia. He now faces additional charges of tampering with evidence, possession of a controlled substance by an inmate in a correctional institution, and possession of a controlled substance without a prescription.
Criminal Histories
All three inmates have extensive records. Siedel has been arrested 14 times on charges including grand theft with a firearm, fleeing and eluding, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, dealing in stolen property, and written threats to kill. Tucker has been arrested 18 times on charges ranging from battery and petit theft to possession of heroin with intent to sell and sale of methaqualone. Horton has been arrested 21 times on charges that include domestic battery, grand theft over $100,000, trafficking fentanyl, possession of cocaine, possession of methamphetamine, and possession of a weapon by a convicted felon.
Investigators found no evidence that any jail employees or contractors were involved in or assisted with the illegal drug distribution. The investigation is ongoing.
