Cleveland, Ohio – A Maumee man has been sentenced to nearly 12 years in federal prison after being caught mailing books soaked in illegal drugs to inmates. The sentencing of Austin Siebert, 30, was handed down on November 18 by U.S. District Judge Donald C. Nugent, who ordered him to serve 140 months in prison, followed by four years of supervised release.
Siebert pleaded guilty in August to several serious offenses, including Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition, and Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine. Court records noted that Siebert had prior convictions for Aggravated Trafficking in Drugs in 2018 and Robbery in 2021, further complicating his legal standing.
According to federal court documents, prison officials at Grafton Correctional Institution in Lorain County began noticing suspicious activity when Siebert repeatedly mailed packages to several inmates. The packages, disguised as innocent books, raised red flags and were eventually sent to a forensic laboratory. Analysis of the books confirmed the presence of synthetic cannabinoids, specifically 5-Fluoro-ADB and MDMB-4en-PINACA, both of which are potent illegal substances often used in smuggling operations due to their high toxicity and difficulty to detect…