TARPON SPRINGS, Fla. (WFLA) — A Tarpon Springs man was sentenced to over 10 years in federal prison Monday after trying to mail himself 18 pounds of methamphetamine, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.

The DOJ said Jason Ryan Hardy, 40, of Tarpon Springs previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine on Jan. 11, 2022.

Hardy was under investigation after he flew to California to coordinate the delivery of a large amount of methamphetamine to Florida.

Court documents said on June 19, 2020, a delivery service in California reported a suspicious package. The company’s employees told authorities that the package had a return and sender address that matched Hardy’s home in Florida, which raised suspicion because the package was being shipped from California.

Police officers searched the package and found that it was full of over 18 pounds of methamphetamine.

The DOJ said three days later, Hardy called to ask about the package and gave his real name, phone number, and email.

“This criminal was stopped from smuggling large amounts of deadly drugs into our communities,” said Micah McCombs, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Assistant Special Agent in Charge. “HSI special agents, working with our partners from the Tarpon Springs Police Department and the Pasco Sheriff’s Office, prevented large amounts of methamphetamine from entering our neighborhoods and have certainly saved lives.”