InkedMag
  • Articles
    • Top Stories
    • Culture
    • Art
    • Music
    • Digital Cover
    • Events
  • Shop
    • Subscriptions
    • InkedShop
  • Tattoo Shops
  • INKED COVER GIRL
  • Company
    • About
    • Contact
    • SUBSCRIPTION
    • Newsletter
    • Media Kit
  • Policies
    • DMCA
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms & Conditions
InkedMag
  • Top Stories
  • Culture
  • Art
  • Music
  • Events
  • Store
  • Digital Cover
  • INKED COVER GIRL
  • Tattoo Shops

Newsletter

Inked newsletter

"*" indicates required fields

This field is hidden when viewing the form

Next Steps: Sync an Email Add-On

InkedMag

Inked Mag Staff

May 15th, 2014

Share Now
0
0
0

Stenography by Tattoo

A man who was convicted of running a marijuana smuggling ring and sentenced to 30 years in prison went to great lengths to makes sure that he doesn’t forget the details of his crimes; he had them tattooed onto his back.

A man who was convicted of running a marijuana smuggling ring and sentenced to 30 years in prison went to great lengths to makes sure that he doesn’t forget the details of his crimes; he had them tattooed onto his back.

While it’s true that every tattoo has some sort of story behind it few are as detailed and straightforward as the ink that Gilberto Santiesteban Jr. got while in prison. Just by looking at the tattoo you can follow Santiesteban’s story from arrest to sentencing, it’s almost as if the courtroom stenographer tattooed the details of the case directly onto his back.

The enormous back piece is centered around a stylized map of the state of Florida with prison bars. Santiesteban pays homage to his heritage with a Cuban flag behind the map. On the sides the names of most of the people involved with his conviction are written; the list includes the arresting officers, attorneys for both the prosecution and defense, and the judge who presided over the trial, according to the Miami Herald.

The location of the tattoo suggests that Santiesteban may be trying to put all of his troubles behind him; it could symbolize that he has turned his back on his former self. There is some nobility in wanting to remember your crimes so that you don’t repeat them and choosing to carry a tattooed record of those crimes as a reminder. On the other hand, the fact that Santiesteban included all of the names in the tattoo suggests something a little bit more sinister. It’s more than likely that Santiesteban was just trying to document the details of his case but there is something disconcerting about the level of specificity in his ink.

In an interview with the Miami Herald Luis I. Guerra, Santiesteban’s defense attorney, said that it was “creepy” to have his name included in his client’s tattoo.

Since Santiesteban has been in custody since 2012 it means that he got his ink while in prison. While tattooing is prohibited in federal prisons inmates have been finding ways to get inked behind bars for years.

Editor's Picks

Heartless Ink Banner Art
Bridging Classical Art and Modern Tattooing

Esteban Rodriguez brings the discipline of classical fine art to the living canvas of skin, creating hyper-realistic tattoos that merge technical mastery with emotional depth.

Show your Ink Fashions Fashion
Show Your Ink Fashions Brings Custom Style to Tattoo Culture

Show Your Ink Fashions creates custom shirts designed to showcase your tattoos as wearable art, blending fashion with personal expression.

Culture
The Ultimate “Superman” Tattoo Roundup: Just in Time for Superman’s Return to Screens

With Superman’s big return to theaters, fans are revisiting some of the most iconic ink inspired by the Man of Steel.

More From Culture

All Time Low Alt Press Image
Boys to Men
October 17, 2025
Caesar The Hun
Caesar The Hun: From a Hungarian Village to the American Tattoo Dream
October 15, 2025
Diplo Cover Story
Mixing Pleasure with Business
October 15, 2025
Inked’s Fall Artist Guide: Pro Gear That Inspires the Craft
October 15, 2025
julia-kadel-healing-ink-banner
Ink’s Healing Link
October 13, 2025

Recommended For You

Caesar The Hun Culture
Caesar The Hun: From a Hungarian Village to the American Tattoo Dream
Mastectomy Ink Banner Art
The Masterful Art of Mastectomy Ink
julia-kadel-healing-ink-banner Culture
Ink’s Healing Link
Art
Inked Tattoos Of the Week
diplo_cover
InkedMag

QUICK LINKS

  • Top Stories
  • Culture
  • Art
  • Music
  • Events
  • Store
  • Tattoo Shops
  • ABOUT
  • CONTACT
  • SUBSCRIPTION
  • INKED COVER GIRL
  • MEDIA KIT
  • DMCA
  • PRIVACY POLICY
  • TERMS & CONDITIONS

Input your search keywords and press Enter.