How to Address Mail to Someone at Gaston Correctional Center (why it goes to Maryland first)

TextBehind screens and scans all non-legal mail for people at Gaston Correctional Center. This includes letters, greeting cards, photos, and artwork. After scanning, TextBehind sends the images to the prison, and the person you're writing to receives them electronically on their tablet.

Because of this processing step, you can't address non-legal mail directly to Gaston. Use TextBehind's Maryland address and include the person's name, OPUS number, and the full prison name written out.

How to Address Envelope

• ✓ Recipient’s full name
• ✓ OPUS number
• ✓ Gaston Correctional Center (write the full prison name, do not abbreviate)
• ✓ P.O. Box 247
• ✓ Phoenix, MD 21131

Here's what the address block should look like: Offender Full Name #OPUSNUMBER, Gaston Correctional Center, P.O. Box 247, Phoenix, MD 21131.

Don't forget your return address. TextBehind requires your full first and last name (no initials). If your return address doesn't meet that standard, they'll send the mail back.

• ✓ Use your full first and last name on the return address (no initials)
• ✓ Use a complete return address so the letter can make it back to you if it is returned

Want your original letter and contents back? You can request them from TextBehind customer support within 30 days. There's a $2.50 fee per letter to cover return mailing.

Don't send packages through TextBehind. They'll return all packages to the sender. For questions about whether Gaston allows packages and how to send them, contact the prison directly.