A 41-year-old woman found herself in a jail cell when she mistakenly sent a text message to the wrong person, a person who was completely different from the intended recipient.
According to the New York Post, Octavia Wells’ journey began on New Year’s Eve when she was on her way to rehab. On that day, she sent a text to a man, asking to arrange a meeting for purchasing fentanyl. The Bay County Sheriff’s Office reported that Wells was willing to pay $45 for a small quantity of the drug.
In the incriminating texts, Wells admitted to being “Octavia” and organized the drug deal. As a result, she arranged to meet her supposed dealer at a gas station. However, she was unaware that it was actually a trap set up by undercover narcotics officers. Consequently, she was promptly apprehended and arrested.
The woman soon realized that she had mistakenly sent the text to the wrong person when she was organizing the drug purchase. As reported by the Smoking Gun, she reached out to Stephen Pettijohn, an investigator with the Bay County Sheriff’s Office who is known as “PJ.” However, it turns out that Wells intended to message someone else with a similar name to the investigator, as stated in the arrest report.
According to the arrest report, the arresting officer stated that Wells willingly allowed him to examine her phone. He confirmed that the phone she was using to text Investigator Pettijohn was indeed the same one he had inspected.
According to the police, Wells and Pettijohn had a prior interaction, although they did not provide specific information regarding the nature of their relationship. When Wells sent the text message regarding the drug purchase, the investigator made the decision to assume an undercover role, pretending to be a drug dealer.
Florida police have charged Wells with several offenses, including unlawful use of a two-way communication device, possession of drug paraphernalia, and driving with a suspended license.
After being arrested, Wells was able to post a $5,000 bond and was subsequently released, as indicated by jail records. Her arraignment has been scheduled for January 30.