in 2008, Pappas flew to South America in an attempt to procure cocaine to smuggle into Australia so that he could pay off a drug debt. Pappas, who attempted to smuggle the drug in three skateboard decks while intoxicated on benzodiazepines, alcohol and amphetamines, was intercepted at Sydney Airport after the traces of cocaine on his clothing alerted authorities. Pappas was consequently imprisoned for three years in various New South Wales facilities. In November 2011, Pappas was afforded the privilege of prison day-release on weekends and used this time to skate the vert ramp in Albury, New South Wales. In December 2011, after internet blogs reported Pappas' Albury visits, SLAM Skateboarding Magazine ran a feature on Pappas and suggested that, at the time, he remained one of the most highly skilled skateboarders in Australia. The video footage that SLAM published to coincide with the article revealed that the session was Pappas' "third skate in 3 years" due to his incarceration—the video was filmed by Stewart. Return to skateboarding Following his incarceration, Pappas was drawn to the tenets of Christianity as a central part of his recovery from drug use, having read the Bible during his sentence. He also continued to develop his marriage with Helen Norman, whom he raises a son with, and he resumed skateboarding. Cliché Skateboards, through Dwindle Distribution, released a Tas Pappas "guest board" in January 2013, with graphics by renowned skateboarding graphic designer, Marc McKee. The design is set to be representative of Pappas' life and new outlook, with a deity figure reaching down and exalting Pappas from a burning environment in which items such as handcuffs and a syringe are present. Footage of Pappas, skateboarding primarily at the Prahran ramp in Melbourne, Australia, accompanied the release of the product. Morgan Campbell, online content manager for Skateboarding Australia, the country's government-funded peak body, stated: Tas has truly put the board into orbit with this stupendous video part which contains some of the best vert skating we have seen from anyone in eons. The graphic was done by Mr Marc Mckee, so you can be sure that collectors snap it up all over the globe. So good to see you back in the skies above Prahran Tas. The clip is by Greg Stewart, who happens to be known in the UK as "The Talking Filmer". Gregsie: we are all delighted to once again hear your mid-air commentary.