J.D. Vance's Drug Smuggling Memoir: Ohio Prison Inmates Used Veep's Book 'Hillbilly Elegy' to Transport Narcotics Behind Bars
A copy of J.D. Vance's 'Hillbilly Elegy' is at the center of prison drug-trafficking scheme.
Nov. 25 2025, Published 2:53 p.m. ET
In an ironic twist of fate, a copy of Vice President J.D. Vance's 2016 bestselling memoir Hillbilly Elegy has been confiscated as part of a drug trafficking scheme spearheaded by a group of Ohio inmates, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
Vance's memoir details his experience growing up in Appalachia, including his mother's battle with drug addiction and his grandparents' alcoholism, as well as socioeconomic challenges plaguing the region.
Vance's 'Hillbilly Elegy' at Center of Drug-trafficking Scheme
Austin Siebert has been convicted of spraying 'Hillbilly Elegy' with narcotics and sending the book to an Ohio inmate.
Austin Siebert, 30, has been accused of spraying a copy of Vance's book with narcotics and shipping the book to an inmate disguised as an Amazon order.
The book was reportedly being sent to an unnamed inmate incarcerated at Grafton Correctional Institution in Vance's native Ohio.
Siebert's package was also said to contain a GRE Handbook and another drug-laced piece of paper.
A recorded conversation between Siebert and the inmate caught them discussing 'Hillbilly Elegy.'
A recorded conversation between Siebert and the Grafton Correctional Institution inmate captured the pair discussing Vance's book being used in the drug-trafficking scheme.
In the recording, the inmate asked, "Is it Hillbilly?" to which Siebert replied, "I don't know what you're talking about."
After an apparent moment of confusion, Siebert added: "Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. That's the book, the book I'm reading. (Expletive) romance novel."
Siebert was sentenced to more than 11-years and 8-months behind bars for the drug trafficking scheme.
U.S. District Judge Donald C. Nugent convicted Siebert of spraying the items with narcotics and shipping them to the prison.
Siebert was sentenced to more than 11-years and 8-months behind bars for the drug-trafficking scheme.
While Siebert attempted to play off the scheme by claiming he was reading Vance's memoir, he clearly did not crack open the book as the perils of drug addiction serve as a main theme in the memoir.
Criticism of 'Hillbilly Elegy'
'Hillbilly Elegy' faced backlash for stereotyping Appalachia and ignoring systemic issues enabling poverty and addiction in the region.
The New York Times bestseller – which was later adapted into a movie directed by Ron Howard starring Amy Adams and Glenn Close – explores alcohol and substance abuse addiction and their personal and cultural impact on low-income and working-class families.
Hillbilly Elegy additionally hits on a daunting sense of abandonment felt by generations of Appalachians and how those sentiments shaped political support in the region.
In 2016, Jennifer Senior, a New York Times reviewer, wrote Vance gave "a compassionate, discerning sociological analysis of the white underclass that has helped drive the politics of rebellion, particularly the ascent of Donald J. Trump."
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Since releasing the memoir, Vance has faced backlash and been accused of turning his back on Appalachia.
Many called out Vance for using tired stereotypes to depict the region while simultaneously ignoring systemic issues fostering poverty and addiction, including a sharp decline in industries that once supported Appalachia.
One X user wrote: "As a hillbilly from rural Appalachia I feel compelled to share the fact that likely Trump VP pick JD Vance's 'Hillbilly Elegy' is one of the most disgusting, backward books I've ever had the displeasure of skimming. Just dumba-- down-punching bullshit page after page after page."
Another added: "Hillbilly Elegy was written by a millionaire venture capitalist who hates the poor. It scratched an itch for some liberals to think Vance had the answer for how to read Middle America, but he doesn't. He is the exact ivory tower elitist conservatives accuse liberals of being."
